Adamawa: Awwal Tukur denies stepping down for Ribadu

From Umar Dankano, Yola

Awwal Tukur, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s son, yesterday denied the insinuation that he had resolved to step down for the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to contest the Adamawa state bye election on the platform of gone ruling party.

It was recently rumoured that Ribadu had perfected plans to dump his All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP in the state on agreement that would be given a waiver and an automatic ticket to contest the election.

A national daily (not Peoples Daily) yesterday reported that Awwal had agreed to forgo his governorship ambition and settled for the position of the Chief of Staff under Ribadu’s governorship.

Awwal, a former member of the House of Representatives, at a press conference held in Yola yesterday said he has never been under pressure from any quarters to step down for Ribadu adding that the former Chairman of EFCC is not a member of the PDP.

“Nuhu is in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and I am a bonafide member of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP). So, it is not true to say I withdraw for him even though we’re brothers,” he maintained.

According to him, Ribadu remains his elder brother but a chieftain of APC. He wondered why he would agree to step down for someone who has yet to join his party, the PDP.

 “When I saw a story published in Leadership Newspapers claiming that I have stepped down for Nuhu due to the meeting we had in Abuja; the story is baseless and unfounded, because I have not withdrawn and I am planning to declare my intention to contest for the governorship election at the right time,” he declared.

He explained that the PDP will not allow any imposition of candidate in the bye election saying that the door of the party is open for any interested candidate who wants to join the fold in the line with the party constitution.

“Adamawa of today is not of that of yesterday; our patience should not be taken for granted  and our prayer is that issue of imposition should arise”

 In a related development a pressure group under the auspice of Concerned Youth for Good Governance in the state has described the move to prevent Ribadu as disrespectful, demeaning and abominable.

 In a press statement signed and made available to journalist by the state chairman of the group Alh. Isah Ibrahim Toungo, the group said the PDP is not a protected territory for only a selected few in the country arguing that all and sundry should be allowed to join the party.