Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has decamped from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Rumours of Ribadu joining the PDP as the Adamawa state gubernatorial election approaches has been rife in the media and his purported switch to the ruling party might just confirm speculations that Ribadu is being lured to the PDP in order for him to assume office of governor of Adamawa state following the impeachment of Murtala Nyako.
It could be recalled that Ribadu was the presidential flag bearer of the former Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) – a party which metamorphosed into the APC – in the 2011 general election and was considered a prospective candidate of the APC in 2015 presidential elections
Premium Times reports
A member of the executive committee of the PDP in Bako, Mr. Ribadu’s ward in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa state, told PREMIUM TIMES that the anti-corruption chief has been registered as a member of the party and given a party membership card.
The source asked not to be named because he was not authorised to disclose the development to journalists.
A PREMIUM TIMES report had detailed how the PDP leadership led by the party’s national chairman, Adamu Muazu, mounted pressure on Mr. Ribadu to join the party and be its candidate for the October 11 governorship election in Adamawa.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has already released a timetable for an election being organised to replace former Governor Murtala Nyako who was impeached by the State Assembly last month.
Already, Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri and Awwal Tukur, a son of former chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, have picked the notice of intent form to seek the PDP governorship nomination for the election. A former military administrator of Lagos state, Buba Marwa, has also indicated interest in running.
Efforts to speak with Mr. Ribadu or his spokesperson, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, were unsuccessful.
Both men’s mobile telephones phones were switched off when PREMIUM TIMES tried to reach them.
Mr. Ribadu is yet to publicly declare for the PDP although he has not refuted any of the reports linking him to the party.
