Mallam Nuhu Ribadu
Former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said Monday he downgraded his ambition to gubernatorial level in line with his passion to serve the people.
Ribadu told journalists after he submitted his nomination form at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja on Monday that his desire to serve at any level propelled him to drop his initial ambition.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), which has suffered some major reversal in fortunes in recent months, had its situation compounded with the recent defection of Ribadu to PDP.
Key figures that have defected from the party to PDP of late include former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, fomer Governor of Borno State, Amodu Sherif, while former chairman of defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and a chieftain of APC is said to be on his way back to the PDP.
Ribdabu said he abandoned his presidential ambition to contest the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Adamawa State governorship poll because he lives a life dictated by calls for service.
“Everything in my life has been about public service. I’m prepared to serve in any capacity.
“If you ask me to come and be a sweeper of any street in any part of the country, I’m ready to do that. I don’t even have power of my own in any part,” said the Adamawa born politician who is respected nationally for the bold work done while chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The former boss of the anti-corruption agency dissed concerns that the PDP was yet to grant him and other defected aspirants waivers needed to contest the primary, he said no.
”I am not worried about the waiver. I have followed the rules. I am a law and order person. I have done my own bit and I will wait for the party to do their own. That part is not my responsibility,” he said.
Under Section 50 (9) of the PDP constitution says, “There shall be a minimum of two year membership span for a member to be eligible to stand for election into any public office, unless the appropriate executive committee gives a waiver or rules to the contrary.”
Meanwhile, other aspirants for the governorship seat in Adamawa have called for level playing ground in the choice of the candidate for October 11 election governorship election in the state.
Some of them have privately and publicly expressed concerns about what they perceive as grand plot to ramrod Ribadu into the government house.
The aspirants spoke when they came to also submit their nomination forms to the party’s national leadership, which was received by the National Organisation Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.
The aspirants included the former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Modibbo; Acting Governor of the state, Ahmed Fintiri; former Presidential Adviser, Ahmed Gulak; and the former ACN governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Marcus Gundiri.
Others are former Lagos State Military Administrator, Buba Marwa; Dr. Umar Ardo, Senator Ahmed Girei, Gen. A.A.Kana (retd.), Awwal Tukur and Aliyu Idi-Hong.
“People should be allowed to contest. We should not pay too much attention to consensus. Our tragedy in the state was that we did not do the proper thing when we chose the past leader,” Modibo was quoted in a report.
