Ribadu: Fading Glory Of APC In Adamawa

Posted by African Examiner Featured Contributors/Columnists, Latest Headlines Thursday, August 21st, 2014

Oyewale Oyelola

The exit of former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and defunct Action Congress on Nigeria, Presidential Candidate during 2011 Presidential election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from All Progressives Congress (APC) has altered the political calculation in Adamawa State.

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu

Ribadu dumped APC to PDP to pursue his governorship ambition after Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed October 11 for governorship election in the state. Many political watchers feel Ribadu decided to join PDP to pay back Tinubu who abandoned him during 2011 presidential election.

The election is made possible due to impeachment of Muritala Nyako by Adamawa State House of Assembly in July for financial impunity. Nyako is one of the five aggrieved PDP governors that defected to the leading opposition party last year.

Though many received the news of the defection of the Ex-EFCC Boss to the ruling party with shock, because Ribadu on several occasions had described PDP as house of corruption.

African examiner gathered that the presidency and the PDP leadership lured the pioneer EFCC boss to the ruling party with a promise to grant him a waiver and eventually become Adamawa PDP governorship flag bearer in October 21 polls.

The move, according to political analysts, is orchestrated to at reducing APC popularity in Adamawa and the nation as a whole. They believed that though Ribadu may not poll a large crowd like Gen. Buhari in the North but his presence in the opposition party is an image booster for APC.

With the entrance of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in the Adamawa governorship tussle and with the payment of N11million for expression of interest and nomination form earlier in the week, no doubt the election will be a PDP game.

Seven aspirants met the deadline for the payment of nominations forms in PDP, the aspirants include; Nuhu Ribadu, Buba Marwa, ACN governorship candidate in 2011 election, Markus Gundiri, Former Political Adviser to President Jonathan, Gulak, Current Acting Adamawa state governor, Funtiri and two others.

In APC, three aspirants including two serving senators have picked the nomination. They are: Mr Emmanuel Bello, Senator Ahmed Barata and Mohammed Jibrilla.

Finding shows that the impeachment of Nyako has led to the decline of APC acceptability in the Adamawa state. It would be recalled the all-local government chairmen who decamped to APC have now returned to PDP.

APC leadership in a bid to stop Nyako’s impeachment banked on Atiku’s influence to perform the magic of saving the embattled governor.

Our correspondent learnt that failure of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to save Muritala Nyako from impeachment has shown that the Turaki of Adamawa is no longer popular again, even in his state.

In view of its fading glory, the leading opposition party in the country should not be expecting any magic in the October 11, 2014 governorship bye-election in Adamawa state.

Meanwhile, Events in the coming weeks will show if Presidency and PDP actually mean well for Ribadu. As any failure to secure the PDP governorship ticket in Adamawa is not only a political suicide, it a political retirement for the anti-corruption crusader.