Adamawa bye-election: Group berates opposition to Ribadu

From Umar Dankano, Yola

A pressure group under the aegis Concerned Youth for Good Governance in Adamawa state has frowned at the actions of some politicians in the state moving against wooing Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to join PDP and contest the October 11th Adamawa governorship bye election.

The group in a press statement signed and made available to journalists by it’s chairman, Alhaji Isa Ibrahim Toungo, in Yola yesterday described those against the move, including some PDP members, as spent forces who felt intimidated by Ribadu’s credentials.

“Our attention has been drawn to a campaign of calumny against the person and ambition of the much respected Mallam Nuhu Ribadu orchestrated by some spent-forces who felt intimidated by our recent call on Ribadu to dump his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and contest for the governorship of Adamawa state under the umbrella of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

We are particularly irked by reports in the media quoting anonymous sources-obviously politicians too intimidated to come out in the open, to the effect that Nunu Ribadu is not welcomed in the PDP or that Ribadu would be imposed on the party from Abuja.”

The statement said the sentiments being exhibited by those against Ribadu were uncalled for and a complete misrepresentation of policy and philosophy of the PDP which has always left its doors open to all Nigerians.

“In fact, the strength of the PDP lies in its ability to accommodate all Nigerians, from all shades of opinion.

“These frightened politicians have resorted to blackmail and fabrication of stories about the purported promises to Ribadu by the top echelon of the party in Abuja”, the statement said.

The statement noted that Ribadu and those agitating for him to come to PDP were doing that based on merit and would not subvert any democratic process as being speculated.