Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party gave the all clear sign to Malam Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and two other aspirants to contest the party’s primary to select a candidate for the governorship election in the north eastern state of Adamawa.
After a meeting Friday, the party’s National Working Committee granted waivers to Ribadu, General Buba Marwa, a former military governor of Lagos and Marcus Gundiri, an engineer, who unsuccessfully challenged impeached governor Murtala Nyako in the 2011 election.
Ribadu who was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the 2011 general election defected to PDP ahead of the Adamawa State bye election scheduled for 11 October two weeks ago. Marwa and Gundiri had contested the 2011 election in the state on the platforms of CPC and ACN, two major partners in the opposition All Progressives Congress.
The trio at separate times defected to the PDP and needed the waiver because they did not meet the party’s condition for eligibility. The PDP rule states that aspirants for positions must have maintained a two-year membership of the party.
The three aspirants had earlier submitted their applications for waiver to the National Working Committee, NWC of the party.
In a statement, Metuh said: “the National Working Committee of the PDP at the end of its meeting on Friday, August 29, 2014, unanimously cleared all aspirants who expressed interest to contest the October 11 Adamawa State governorship election on the platform of the PDP to participate in the party’s nomination process.
“After very careful and thorough consideration of all applications and the report of the Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha-led Adamawa State PDP Governorship Waiver Committee, the NWC was satisfied that all the aspirants met the requirements stipulated by the PDP constitution to participate in the process.
“Consequently, waiver has been granted to General Buba Marwa, Engr. Marcus Gundiri and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to take part in the exercise.
“The NWC hereby restates its confidence in the leadership of the National Chairman, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu in providing a level playing ground for all eligible citizens of the state to participate in the democratic process.
“It assures that the nomination process, including screening of aspirants as well as the primary election will be conducted with utmost transparency and strict adherence to rules and the principles of justice, fairness and equity.
“Finally, the NWC debunks speculations that its members were divided on the grant of the waiver and reiterates that the decision to open the space for wider participation was unanimously adopted after very extensive deliberations.”