Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has dumped the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] and joined the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].
A competent source close to the former anti-corruption czar confirmed to our correspondent in a telephone interview from Abuja that every paper work about the formal declaration of Ribadu, has been completed and that any moment from now he would formally make his declaration open.
“Yes, it is true, we’re just from the PDP secretariat now and I can tell you that every paper work has been completed and may be any time next week, Oga would formally declare for PDP. He is running for the office of the governor of Adamawa State,” the source said.
Mr. Ribadu was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] in 2011 and until his defection story started, he was considered one of the presidential prospects of the APC in the 2015 presidential election.
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 our Correspondent 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. An earlier 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, 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, was unsuccessful. His mobile telephone was switched off when our Correspondent 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.
