Governorship ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stepped
down from the race in the early hours of Friday.
Following the impeachment of the former Governor, Murtala Nyako,
October 11 has been fixed for election to get a substantive governor
for the state.
After about four hours meeting with the aspirants that started by 9.06
p.m on Thursday and ended around 1.00 a.m on Friday at the Banquet
Hall of the State House, Senate President, David Mark along with other
officials of the party were able to reach a compromise with the
aspirants and pruned down the number of those contesting to six.
The six aspirants still in the race for the party's ticket on Saturday
are Ahmed Gulak, Buba Marwa, Ahmed Modibbo, Dr. Umar Ardo, Acting
Governor Umaru Fintiri, and Jerry Kumdisi.
Those who have withdrawn from Saturday primary election include Nuhu
Ribadu; Auwal Tukur; Aliyu Idi Hong, Andrawus Sawa; James Barka; Gen.
Aliyu Kama; Markus Gundiri and Abubakar Girei.
It was agreed at the closed-door meeting that the six aspirants
contesting for the party's ticket on Saturday will not contest for the
position in 2015.
The meeting also agreed that only those stepping down now can contest
for the party's governorship election ticket in 2015, with more
consideration in 2015 for Adamawa Central that has never produced a
governor.
Any aspirant who fails to win the party's ticket in Saturday's primary
election, the meeting, also agreed must support the party's flag
bearer towards the 11th October election.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting,
Chairman of the Adamawa State chapter of the party, Joel Madaki said:
"Fourteen aspirants contesting for the position earlier has now
reduced to six aspirants due to this meeting. It is a very welcome
idea. Nobody was forced to step them. Those who stepped down did so
voluntarily in order to wait to contest for the position in 2015."
"The six aspirants contesting this election are Ahmed Gulak, Buba
Marwa, Ahmed Modibbo, Dr. Umar Ardo, Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri,
and Jerry Kumdisi," he added
The former Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs,
Ahmed Gulak, who is contesting for the ticket on Saturday, said: "The
outcome of the meeting was fantastic. We met as family members of PDP,
even before coming here all the aspirants in Adamawa have unanimously
resolved that after the primaries, in a free, fair primaries, anybody
that emerges will get our support."
"Today, in this meeting, the number of the aspirants has been
drastically reduced to six, which is manageable. I am contesting, Gen.
Marwa is contesting, Ahmed Modibbo is contesting, Dr. Umar Ardo is
contesting, Hon. Jerry Kumdisi is contesting, and Acting Governor
Fintiri is contesting."
"And we have resolved to go into the primaries without rancour,
without acrimony and to come out of it as peaceful co-existing
members.
"And at the end of it all, anybody that emerges, we will all queue
behind him. And if I emerge as the candidate, they will all queue
behind me. It is going to be a family affair and there will be no
losers."
On his chances of getting the ticket as Ribadu and others are now out
of the race, he said: "Nuhu Ribadu or not, you know, I prepared for
this election. Even, if 14 of us are going into this election, I am
confident of my ability, of my capability, of my mobilization, of my
sensitization that the delegates will select me.
No comments:
Post a Comment