Contrary to expectations, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday failed to join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former anti-graft czar was billed to register for the PDP in his home state, Adamawa, in preparation for his eventual indication of interest in the governorship race on the platform of the party. The by-election holds in October this year to fill the vacancy created by the impeachment of ex-governor Murtala Nyako. As at the time of this report, Ribadu was in Abuja.

Although no official reason was given for Ribadu’s failure to register, a PDP source confided that the development had a lot to do with the inability of the tripartite parties, that is, Ribadu, the Presidency and the top echelon of the PDP, to firm up an arrangements intended to smoothen things for him to pick the party’s governorship ticket on a platter.

It was gathered that Ribadu, who flew the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2011 presidential election, developed cold feet when it became obvious that while the Presidency was ready to grant him an automatic waiver, some powerful power blocs within the party insisted he must go through the party primary like others. This, according to sources, was seen by Ribadu as a means of taking him out of the APC only to rubbish him in the PDP.

Efforts to reach Ribadu were not fruitful as his three lines were switched off when called at 8:15pm. But his media aide, Abdulaziz Fagge, said his principal was not in Adamawa to register as a member of the PDP.

“As I am talking to you, Malam Nuhu Ribadu is in Abuja; he is not in Adamawa as being speculated,” Fagge said.

In his reaction, the Adamawa State chairman of the PDP, Chief Joel Madaki, said he was unaware that Ribadu was coming to the state to register as a member of the party.

“The truth is that we want people in our party; everybody is welcome, we do not discriminate at all. But on this particular matter, I am not aware that Ribadu is coming to register as a member of our party.

“But please, I must remind you, and quote me please, that you join a party and then you aspire to a position; you don’t aspire to a position before you join a party,” Madaki said.

•Adapted from a report in LEADERSHIP Friday. Photo shows Nuhu Ribadu.

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