Adamawa: Modibbo denies stepping down for Fintiri

By Lawrence Olaoye

Frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Adamawa bye-election, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo, yesterday denied the speculation that he had abandoned his ambition and stepped down for the state Acting-governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

 Speculations were rife across the twenty- one local government areas in Adamawa state yesterday afternoon that Modibbo and three other aspirants have stepped down for Fintri.

The governorship aspirant dispelled the rumour in a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Julius Toba, where the politician called on his teeming supporters to disregard the news, calling it a cheap propaganda.

Modibbo said he was still in the race and that the latest effort was a deliberate attempt by his political detractors to misinform Adamawa electorates who, he said, are on his side.

He wondered in particular why such a news just filtered into town some hours to the delegates election.

He confirmed that at no time did he sit down in any meeting to discuss consensus candidature with either Fintiri or any politician in Adamawa, but reassured that he would continue to chart his own course as a mature politician.

He urged voters at the exercise to disregard the news; troop out to cast their votes for popular delegates who will represent their collective interest at the primary election scheduled for September 6th, 2014.

“The latest news of our purported withdrawal from Adamawa governorship election for the Acting Governor is an imagination of our political detractors who are bent on pushing us out of the race against the popular wishes of Adamawa people.

“As a matter of fact, at no time did Dr Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo sat in any meeting, either with the acting governor or three other aspirants of PDP as being rumoured, to discuss issue of consensus candidature.

“The import of this is that Dr Modibbo is still 100% in the race and that no amount of this category of cheap propaganda will make him chicken out. As a mature politician that he is, he has resolved to continue to chart his own course in this race and see it to the end, as collectively mandated by ordinary masses of Adamawa who are his side.

“That this call is coming few hours before the delegates’ election to us means that it is a grand plan to cause confusion and mislead our teeming followers. Just like those before it, this plot, as well as those behind it have failed since their stock in trade is already known to discerning Adamawa voters. Yet, we therefore call on our people to continue to disregard such news and make a wise political decision by supporting Dr Modibbo”

“Now that we are gradually moving closer to the judgement day (October 11), we expect more but we still appeal to our supporters to be watchful and vigilant of their antics. And that the only approach is to disregard them and lets us work closely with Dr Modibbo who is poised to give us a new Adamawa that we all long for”