Ribadu

Former EFCC boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has withdrawn from ongoing governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ribadu, Mahmood Halilu and incumbent Gov. Muhammadu Bindow were cleared to contest in the Sunday primaries.

A statement by the Director General of Ribadu Campaign Organization, Mallam Salihu Bawuro, said Ribadu withdrew based on the mode of primaries.

“While we and greater majority of APC in Adamawa State supported giving power to the people through direct primaries, the party decided to adopt indirect primaries at the last minutes.

“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.

“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.”

The statement noted that it was for the above reason that Ribadu’s supporters prevailed on him to withdraw from the race.

It reiterated the commitment of Ribadu to continue to remain in APC and to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari, and his candidature as product of direct primaries.

Meanwhile, at 9.40 p.m., accreditation of APC delegates for the primaries was ongoing.