The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State has announced the immediate suspension of former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Alhaji Hassan Tukur, for alleged anti-party activities. This was announced after a meeting of Stakeholders of Adamawa State PDP, who also condemned in strong terms the suspension of former National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, by PDP National Working Committee (NWC).

The stakeholders, who are leaders of the party, include Governor Bala James Ngilari, Chief Juta, Mr. Andrawus Sawa, Brig-General Buba Marwa (rtd), Senator Grace Bent, Alhaji Mohammed Modibbo, Hajiya Halima, Ngable, and Aliyu Kama, among others.

Rising from their meeting yesterday in Yola, the stakeholders declared the National Assembly party primaries conducted in Abuja as not only illegal but a sham since the real elected delegates did not participate in the primaries. They consequently set in motion a machinery to hold fresh primaries today in Yola.

The decision, they said, was as a result of the refusal of PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to obey the directive of the Party Leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, to hold the primaries with the agreed list and in Yola. “The directive was clear but the chairman has little or no regards for the president, hence he flouted the directive,” one of the stakeholders alleged.

The stakeholders condemned in strong terms what they described as the orchestrated attempt by Alhaji Mu’azu to destroy the party in the state just to achieve a set agenda.

Accordingly, the stakeholders loyal to the leadership of the party in the state and Governor Bala James Ngilari insisted that that they would conduct a genuine and more acceptable National Assembly primary election using the authentic list adopted and approved at a meeting of all stakeholders in the state two weeks ago.

The fresh primary election is on-going at the Ribadu Square in Yola. Governor Ngilari flew back to Yola to take part in the exercise, which reportedly ahs court backing.

“We are the real PDP, not the thugs that were hired from Nyanya and paid,” said a stakeholder.

The stakeholders therefore challenged Mu’azu to tell public where he got the list he used in the conduct of the Abuja sham primaries from and to tell how the party arrived at such a list.

They specifically accused Mu’azu and Hassan Tukur of desperation to foist Ribadu on the party as governorship candidate. The stakeholders accused Muázu and Tukur of flying about five delegates from each of the local government area of Adamawa State to Abuja on Sunday to participate in the discredited National Assembly primaries.

The stakeholders resolved that they would not allow Mu’azu and Tukur to destroy the party they worked so hard to build and sustain in spite of challenges. They noted that from every indication, the powers in Abuja are determined to frustrate genuine, inclusive and participatory election as well as working against the election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

•Photo shows Nuhu Ribadu.

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