Malam Nuhu Ribadu will be granted an ‘accelerated waiver’ to contest in the October 11 governorship election in Adamawa State following his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), TheCable reports.
Under the constitution of the party, new members and returnees are not qualified to seek elective positions until after two years ? except they get a waiver. Section 50 (9) of the PDP constitution says: “There shall be a minimum of two year membership span for a member to be eligible to stand for election into any public office, unless the appropriate executive committee gives a waiver or rules to the contrary.”
In the case of governorship, the stipulated authority is the national executive committee (NEC), through the national working committee (NWC), according to section 50 (9) (b) which also says the process must start from the ward level. Ribadu last week registered at his Bako ward, Yola north LGA, and has been issued with the party’s membership card. TheCable understands that the process for the waiver will be kick-started on Monday, while he is expected to pick the governorship nomination form later in the week. “The waiver will be accelerated.
Ribadu’s defection is the project of the national leadership of the party. The national chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, is fully involved,” a national officer of the party told TheCable. Ribadu’s entry into PDP is generating controversy among his followers, many of whom feel he had disappointed them by dumping the “progressive camp” ? the All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2011, the former chairman of EFCC was the presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the constituent units of APC.
Aside his supporters’ misgivings, however, Ribadu faces a big challenge in the Adamawa chapter of PDP where other political heavyweights are eyeing the governorship. Former governor of Borno and Lagos states Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), acting governor Ahmadu Fintiri and former presidential adviser Ahmed Gulak are all interested in the race.
