meets with aspirants
All PDP Adamawa Governorship aspirants will today meet with the President. The 14 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirants for the Adamawa State governorship election ticket are expected at the State House for the important show down meeting.
The PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) has said that any aspirant who refuses to attend the meeting in Abuja, will lose the right to participate in the primary election. YNAIJA reports
The purpose of the meeting may be for the picking of a consensus candidate between all the aspirants. Many have alleged that this is a ploy to select the preferred candidate of the Party’s higher echelon.
According to a source in the PDP, a text message was sent to all the aspirants to be “at the compulsory meeting”.
“All the aspirants have been summoned by the President and the NWC because the situation has shown that the PDP might go to the October 11 governorship poll as a divided group.
“Some aspirants are already threatening protest vote if the primary election is hijacked by forces in the presidency and some NWC members.
Indications however emerged yesterday that many of the aspirants have decided to reject the plan for consensus candidature.
One of the aspirants said: “We want a level-playing field; we do not like consensus formula. This is why we have refused to step down for each other.”
Another aspirant added:”We are already on the field canvassing for votes from delegates, let them leave us alone. We do not need consensus.”
Another aspirant was of the opinion that the meeting in Abuja is a plot to shut-out aspirants from Adamawa State.
“We were asked to come for the meeting by 9 pm on Thursday. But we got wind of a plot by some forces in the presidency to hold all the aspirants hostage in Abuja till Friday afternoon when the meeting will hold.
“As the meeting holds on Friday, Yola Airport will be closed. All routes leading to Yola will also be blocked to deny us access.
“They will then proceed to hold the primary election in the absence of all aspirants so that they can manipulate the process for an anointed aspirant.
The 14 aspirants vying for the party’s ticket are; Acting Governor Ahmadu Fintiri; Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo; Nuhu Ribadu; Markus Gundiri; Auwal Tukur; Aliyu Idi Hong; Sen. Abubakar H. Girei; Jerry Kumdisi; Andrawus Sawa; James Barka; Gen. Aliyu Kama; Gen. Buba Marwa; Ahmed Gulak, Dr. Umar Ardo; Jerry Kumdisi and James Barka
