Nuhu Ribadu, the first chief of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, has withdrawn from the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Adamawa to make way for incumbent Governor Muhammad Bindow.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Ribadu, Mahmood Halilu and incumbent Gov. Muhammadu Bindow were cleared to contest in the Sunday primaries.
A statement by Salihu Bawuro, the director general of Ribadu Campaign Organization, on Sunday, September 30, 2018, said Ribadu withdrew based on the mode of primaries.
“While we and greater majority of APC in Adamawa State supported giving power to the people through direct primaries, the party decided to adopt indirect primaries at the last minutes.
“We have all along expected that this wish of the majority of ordinary members would be respected, and therefore banked on it. But the decision to do otherwise has taken us, and our supporters aback.
“We were opposed to indirect primaries abinitio because we believe the process that brought those expected to participate in the process was fundamentally flawed.
“When the party congresses were held in May, we cried that no elections were held in Adamawa and the officials were only handpicked by those who hijacked the process. This was not addressed.
“We are therefore under no illusion of a fair contest in the hands of those so-called party officials.”
Ribadu’s supporters prevailed on him to withdraw from the race, having reviewed the situation of things, the statement said.
However, Ribadu will remain in APC and support President Muhammadu Buhari’s candidature.
