Former anti-graft czar, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, is leaving nothing to chance as he aims for a Governorship seat in Adamawa State. Ribadu made his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) a formality last weekend and has moved to acquire an N11m “expression of interest form” from the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in order to vie for the Governorship slot.
Ribadu has also applied for a waiver from the ruling PDP as he embarks on a governorship race that may well define his political career.
Alhaji Ahmidu Mahmoud, an associate of Ribadu who picked up the governorship form for the latter said Ribadu was ready to slug it out with other aspirants on the bill of the PDP at the primaries; for the Adamawa Governorship ticket.
Mahmoud said: “I’m here on behalf of Ribadu to purchase the nomination form in order to enable him contest the governorship primary in Adamawa State. We have commenced the process of getting the waiver. The waiver clause in the party’s constitution was not inserted because of him.
“He is expected to enjoy the waiver. We have applied for the waiver and we expect that he would get it.”
Mahmoud also said Ribadu wasn’t in the race at the behest of President Jonathan nor was he being prodded on by Aso Villa.
“We are not aware that the President wants him, but some PDP chieftains in our state called him. He doesn’t need to have any structure on ground to win. He is ready to contest the primary,” Mahmoud added.
Standing between Ribadu and a Governorship ambition are the following cast of political characters in Adamawa State: Acting Governor, Umar Fintiri; a former Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak; a former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.) a former Minister of State for Health, Idi Hong, former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Ahmed Modibbo; and Awwal Tukur, who is the son of a former National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.