Adamawa PDP primaries: Three guber aspirants quit race in protest

From Umar Dankano, Yola

As governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party commenced yesterday in Adamawa State, three aspirants withdrawn from the contest for alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primaries in the state.
Those that withdrew from the contest are Dr.Umar Ardo, former Deputy Governor, Sa’ad M.C Tahir and Adamu Muazu Modibbo, accusing the party of not providing a level playing ground for the exercise.
In a press release, MC Tahir says “I regrettably wish to honourably withdraw from the race having realized that there is no clear direction and focus in the way and manner in which the activities of the party is being conducted in the state.”
Similarly, Dr. Ardo in a press statement issued in Yola, yesterday, said, “The guidelines for the conduct of the exercise have been deliberately flaunted as a large number of statutory delegates were removed and duly elected AD HOC delegates and ward Executives were whimsically changed.
“Under these circumstances, I think it is best to maintain my personal and political integrity and withdraw from the race. There is no point pursing a cause in which justice, equity and honesty are ignobly compromised.” Ardo decried.
They lamented that under such circumstances, they rather maintained their political and personal integrity by withdrawing from the governorship race.
The third aspirant who backed out from the race, Adamu Muazu Modibbo, also said he was not comfortable with the way and manner the primaries was being conducted.
Modibbo disclosed his withdrawal through a letter to the state chairman of the party, Barristar Shehu Tahir, registering his disappointment; stressing that other aspirants are seen criminally buying votes from delegates.
Modibbo, who accused some anointed aspirants of paying as much as N50,000 and N100,000 per delegate, decried that reports at his disposal have shown that in Michika,Guyuk ,Demsa and Yola South local government areas in the state delegates names were changed illegally.
He cautioned the party leadership to be wary of such dangerous trends that will only destroy the well being of the party saying his withdrawal is in the interest of the party.
“As a consequence of the issues above, I hereby withdraw from the race in the interest of the party.
“My chairman my conscience and principles cannot allow me to either spend such huge funds buying votes or be part of such political process to produce our leaders.
“It is a large ballot market that has opened in Yola today in the last twelve hours of process “.Modibbo fumed
With Modibbo’s withdrawal, only Former Governor Ahmadu Fintiri,Barrister Aliyu Ahmed ,Ambassador Jameel Zubair and Former Governor Bala James Nggilari are left for the primaries.
When contacted on the development, party secretary Mr. Abdullahi Prembe, said he wasn’t ready to comment on such issue, noting that as a party they are yet to be officially communicated by the affected aspirants.