Adamawa Guber: PDP Stops Acting Governor, Fintiri, From Contesting

AHEAD of the September 6 primary election of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, for the emergence of the party's candidate for the October
11 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, the party, yesterday,
disqualified the acting governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, from
contesting.

Addressing journalists after the nine hours screening exercise,
Chairman of the PDP screening panel for Adamawa State and former
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Nasir Mantu, said that the
panel, while relying on Section 191(2) of 1999 Constitution, the
acting governor could contest because he was a child of circumstance,
a midwife and not the woman carrying the baby.

Of the 14 aspirants who appeared before the Mantu-led committee, only
the acting governor was disqualified while the rest were cleared to
participate in the PDP primary election.

The five- member panel was set up by the PDP National Working
Committee, NWC, to screen the aspirants who purchased the expression
of interest and nomination forms.

Besides Mantu, other members of the committee were former Senate
Leader, Teslim Folarin; Amina Jambo; Mai Adamu Mustapha and Salisu
Dabo, who was absent.

The screening started at 1.00 pm, an hour later than the 12 noon time
earlier scheduled for its commencement, and closed at 8.30 pm.

Sensing what would happen, Fintiri stormed out of venue without taking
questions from journalists like other aspirants.

Mantu, who noted that the Adamawa acting governor could not contest
the election because it would go against the provision of Section 191,
Sub section 2 of the Constitution of the country, said: "He (Fintiri)
was not cleared because, as far as far as we are concerned, Section
191, Sub section 2 of the Constitution does not permit him to
transform from acting capacity to a substantive governor."

Those cleared by Mantu committee to go for the primary election are
Dr. Umar Ardo; former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Abubakar Girei; former
Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters,
Alhaji Ahmed Gulak; Erstwhile Military Administrator of Lagos and
Borno States, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa and former Minister of
Statement Foreign Affairs, Dr. Aliyu Idi- Hong.

Others are the immediate past Executive Secretary, Universal Basic
Education Commission, UBEC, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed; Son of former
PDP National Chairman, Awwal Bamanga Tukur; Marcus Natina Gundiri;
James Shuiabu Barka; Jerry Kundusi; Engr. Brig. Gen. Aliyu A.V. Kama
and Prof. Andrawus Sawa.

Present for the screening were the 14 aspirants who purchased the
expression of interest and nomination forms.