PDP denies luring Ribadu with governorship ticket

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday refuted speculations that the party lured a former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, with a promise of giving him the party’s ticket for the forthcoming the governorship election in Adamawa State.

Ribadu’s defection from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP had generated reactions across the country and sparked off speculations that he and the ruling party have struck a deal with a promise to hand him the party’s ticket for the governorship election in his home state.

Reacting to the speculations, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, told our correspondent that he was not aware of such a deal and noted that the party’s primary election to choose its candidate in the governorship election would be fair and transparent.

“I’m not aware of that. May be the people that are saying that should tell you where they got it from. I just came back into the country and to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like that. The primary election would be open and every party member would participate. I’m not aware of any deal that guarantees the ticket for anybody,” Metuh said.

On Monday, a day after his defection was made public, the 2011 presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria picked up the PDP’s Expression of Interest form to contest for the governorship of Adamawa State.

He also applied to the national leadership of the party for a waiver to contest the party’s governorship primary.

Also, on Tuesday, Ribadu, in a post on his Facebook page, assured his friends that his decision to defect to the PDP was carefully considered and was made in pursuit of a good cause, not selfish interest.

“I know how difficult it may be for you to come to terms with my defection to another party. But I must assure you that it’s a carefully considered decision for which I do not wish to hurt anyone’s feelings.

“My defection shouldn’t be seen as an initiation of political antagonism with my good friends in another party. I still hold them in high esteem, and even where there are marked differences, I believe there are decorous and honourable ways of resolving them. For now, I wish to assure you that my defection is in pursuit of a good cause, and never out of any selfish interests as portrayed by a section,” the post read in parts.