A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has dumped the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] and joined the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].
Mr. Ribadu was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] in 2011 and until his defection today considered one of the presidential prospects of the APC in the 2015 presidential election.
A member of the executive committee of the PDP in Bako, Mr. Ribadu’s ward in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa state, revealed that the anti-corruption chief has been registered as a member of the party and given a party membership card.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, on Saturday said, “It is after the official defection that we can say whether he had moved or not and whether he will get waiver or not. Even at that, he has to ask for the waiver.”
PDP leadership led by the party’s national chairman, Adamu Muazu, mounted pressure on Mr. Ribadu to join the party and be its candidate for the October 11 governorship election in Adamawa.
On different social media platforms on Saturday, promimemt members of the PDP congratulated Ribadu fir defecting.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has already released a timetable for an election being organised to replace former Governor Murtala Nyako who was impeached by the State Assembly last month.
Already, Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri and Awwal Tukur, a son of former chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, have picked the notice of intent form to seek the PDP governorship nomination for the election. A former military administrator of Lagos state, Buba Marwa, has also indicated interest in running.
Efforts to speak with Mr. Ribadu or his spokesperson, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, were unsuccessful. It was however gathered that he would likely address journalists on Monday on his governorship ambition.
