Adamawa: PDP closes submission of forms

The national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday closed the submission of expression of interest and nomination forms for the October 11 gubernatorial bye-election in Adamawa State.

This comes, as 10 aspirants returned their forms to the party, as at the time of filing in this report.

Those who submitted their forms on Tuesday include Umaru Fintiri, acting governor; Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC chairman; Aliyu Idi Hong, former minister of state for foreign affairs, and Abubakar Gerei.

Others are Awwal Tukur, son of former national chairman of the PDP; Ahmed Modibbo, former executive secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); Umar Ardo and Marcus Gundiri.

Those who submitted theirs last week include Buba Marwa, former military administrator of Lagos State, and Ahmed Gulak, immediate past political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking separately to newsmen after submitting their forms to the national organising secretary of the party on Tuesday, Abubakar Mustapha, they all expressed optimism that they would be picked as the party’s standard bearer at the September 6 primary of the party.

Ribadu said he defected from APC to PDP to serve the people.

Ribadu, who is also seeking the party’s waiver to enable him contest the election on PDP’s platform, told journalists that he had played his part and only waiting for confirmation from the party’s National Working Committee.

“I don’t know anything in my life other than public service. And I am prepared to serve in any capacity. If you ask me to come and be a sweeper of any street in any part of Nigeria, I’m prepared to do so,” he said.

Also speaking, Fintiri said he would continue with the rejuvenation of the state, adding that in the last few months in office, he has reversed the trend of degeneration and decay in the state.

He said: “I am not threatened by any candidature of anybody in Adamawa. Instead, they are the ones threatened by my candidature because I have been a loyal party member and well-groomed and identified at the grassroots.