A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and seven other governorship aspirants in Adamawa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, have been asked to shelve their ambition till 2015.
Ribadu and the seven aspirants are therefore not taking part in the party’s governorship primary scheduled to hold in Yola on Saturday.
This decision was taken at the Presidential Villa, Abuja in the early hours of Friday after about four hours of meeting with the 14 aspirants by the leadership of the party including the Senate President, David Mark.
Apart from Ribadu, others who have agreed to step down include Auwal Tukur, Aliyu Idi-Hong, Andrawus Sawa, James Barka, Aliyu Kama, Markus Gundiri and Abubakar Girei.
Those who will slug it out on Saturday at the primary are Jerry Kumdisi, Ahmed Gulak, Buba Marwa, Dr. Umaru Ardo, Ahmed Modibbo and Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri.
It was agreed at the meeting that those who stepped down would vie for the position in 2015 while those who are contesting now would not be part of those who will vie for the position next year.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Chairman of the Adamawa State chapter of the party, Mr. Joel Madaki said, “The number of aspirants contesting for the position earlier have now reduced form 14 to six due to the outcome of this meeting. It is a very welcome idea. Nobody was forced to step down. Those who stepped down did so voluntarily in order to wait to contest for the position in 2015.
“The six aspirants contesting this election are Ahmed Gulak, Buba Marwa, Ahmed Modibbo, Dr. Umar Ardo, Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri, and Jerry Kumdisi.”
The former Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Gulak, also corroborated Madaki’s comments.
He said, “The outcome of the meeting was fantastic. We met as family members of PDP, even before coming here all the aspirants in Adamawa have unanimously resolved that after the primary, in a free, fair primary, anybody that emerges will get our support.
“Today, in this meeting, the number of the aspirants has been drastically reduced to six, which is manageable. I am contesting, Marwa is contesting, Ahmed Modibbo is contesting, Dr. Umar Ardo is contesting, Hon. Jerry Kumdisi is contesting, and Acting Governor Fintiri is contesting.
“And at the end of it all, anybody that emerges, we will all queue behind him. And if I emerge as the candidate, they will all queue behind me. It is going to be a family affair and there will be no losers.”
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