Nuhu Ribadu, an Adamawa State governorship aspirant seeking to contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced his withdrawal from the race.
This was disclosed in a statement by Salihu Bawuro, Director-General of the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation, on Sunday.
Ribadu, who premised his decision on the “anomalies” leading up to the ongoing governorship primary, however, restated his commitment to the party and to working for the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The organisation also expressed its disappointment with the party’s stand on indirect primaries, noting that it was under “no illusion of a fair contest”.
THE FULL STATEMENT
In the light of happenings in the political space over the last few days, the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation wishes to update our teaming supporters as well as millions of well-wishers beyond the confines of Adamawa State as follows:
Since signifying his intention to vie for the position of Adamawa State governor under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has received tremendous goodwill and support from well-meaning citizens of Adamawa State, party leaders, friends and associates from across Nigeria and beyond.
Particularly, the ordinary people at the grassroots saw the aspiration of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the needed solution to myriad of problems affecting the state, and welcomed it with all the support they could muster. The mammoth crowd that welcomed him to Yola last Saturday when he formerly declared, was a clear testimony on where the minds of the people are. We at the campaign organisation and indeed Mallam Ribadu as an aspirant were totally shocked and overwhelmed by the show of support and admiration.
However, while we earnestly prepare to take part in the forthcoming primaries, we noticed with dismay several anomalies, many of which did not start from today.
i. While we and greater majority of APC family in Adamawa State supported giving power to the people through direct primaries, the party decided to adopt indirect primaries at the last minute. We have all along expected that this wish of the majority of ordinary members would be respected, and therefore banked on it. But the decision to do otherwise has taken us, and our supporters, aback.
ii. We were opposed to indirect primaries ab initio because we believe the process that brought those expected to participate in the process was fundamentally flawed. When the party congresses were held in May, we cried that no elections were held in Adamawa and the officials were only handpicked by those who hijacked the process. This was not addressed. We are therefore under no illusion of a fair contest in the hands of those so-called party officials.
iii. It is for these reasons that we collectively took the painful decision to prevail on Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to step down from this race immediately.
The decision to withdraw from this race was taken after due consultation at the level of the campaign directorate and other well wishers of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. We are aware that our teeming supporters have invested hugely in this process and we share in their grief which would come with this announcement. We assure you that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has never taken your support and sacrifices for granted.
We are also sure that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu will continue to remain in APC, and continue to support the good works of President Muhammadu Buhari, and his candidature as product of direct primaries.
