The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has said it is not aware that the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial a Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu has defected to the party from the All Progressives Congress. It said that though there were rumours that he had defected to the party, Ribadu was yet to formally defect to the ruling party. The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja on Saturday, said because of this, there was no way the party would react to the rumour of his defection or not. He said, “We have not been told that he has defected. There are rumours here and there, but as I speak with you, we have not been told he has moved. “It is after the official defection that we can be able to say whether he had moved or not and whether he will get waiver or not. Even at that, he has to ask for the waiver.” Ribadu is under pressure from the national leadership of the party and the Presidency to defect and contest the governorship election of Adamawa State under the platform of the ruling PDP. The former chairman of the EFCC was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011. Our correspondent learnt in Abuja that those who have so far indicated interest to contest the election under the platform of the PDP are the former Military Administrator of Lagos State, General Buba Marwa, former Senator representing Adamawa Central, Abubakar Girei, a former Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, and former Minister, Idi Hong. Others include: Dr. Umar Ardo, former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Ahmed Modibo, Mr. Markus Gundiri and the son of former PDP national chairman, Mr. Awual Tukur. The acting Governor, Bala Ngilari has also announced his intention to contest following the pressure he received from 13 of his colleagues from the State House of Assembly.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 22:19:54 +0000