Why I Dropped Presidential Ambition -Ribadu

Former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of
Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has explained why he abandoned his
presidential ambition to contest the governorship primary of the
Peoples Democratic Party for the Adamawa State governorship poll.
Ribadu, who spoke with journalists after he submitted his nomination
form at the national headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on Monday, said
that his desire to serve at any level propelled him to drop his
initial ambition.

Ribadu, who was a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, said, "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."

Asked whether he was worried 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 the constitution of the party, new members and returnees are not
qualified to seek elective positions until after two years, except
they get a waiver.

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 have insisted that the party must conduct
proper primary to choose the party's candidate for the October 11
election.

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.

Modibbo said, "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."