Adamawa Guber: Ribadu on road to Waterloo?

It is no more news that former anti graft czar and former Presidential aspirant under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and pitched tent with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It is also less news that he has picked up the PDP governorship nomination form for Adamawa State and will be going in for primaries in October 11. The N11 million form was obtained on his behalf by his political associate, Alhaji Ahmidu Mahmoud.

In an interview with journalists after he picked the form, Mahmoud said Ribadu has begun the process of getting waiver which will enable him participate in the primary.

“The waiver clause in the party’s constitution was not inserted because of him. He is expected to enjoy the waiver. We have applied for the waiver and we expect that he would get it,” said Mahmoud who added that Ribadu is not relying on the support of President Goodluck Jonathan as it was been peddled in some quarters.

Now, the burning issue: has Ribadu just led himself to political slaughterhouse? The question expands further with the major factors among many that would be analysed before October 11.

Firstly, many have begun to fear that the same “political death” that “beheaded” Alhaji Ahmadu Ribadu in 1979, is now hunting his son, Nuhu Ribadu?

Timawus Mattias, writing on abusidiqu.com, puts it this way: “In 1979, against all expectations, Alhaji Ahmadu Ribadu clinched the NPN ticket to run for Gongola Guber and contestants at the Primaries were so disgruntled that an alliance between the UPN, NPP, and GNPP was galvanized overnight and a poor Mummuye teacher Alhaji Abubakar Barde teaming up with another teacher from Maiha Wilberforce Baftai Juta defeated the NPN, grinding the noses of then NPN bigwigs from Adamawa in the dust. This singular act caused Shagari to appoint alternative Governors called Presidential Liason Officers PLOs for non NPN States and to my mind triggered all other faulty steps that in the end, caused the collapse of the 2nd Republic”.

Now, the second obvious factor – the number of heavyweights Ribadu is up against in the race for the Adamawa governorship seat. All in the PDP, eyeing that ticket are 10 non-push overs. They include: Current acting governor, Umar Fintiri; Former Military Administrator of Lagos State of the “keke Maruwa” fame, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa; former adviser to President Jonathan on Political matters, Ahmed Gulak (remember he was sacked by Jonathan);  former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Aliyu Idi Hong; and son of former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Awwal Tukur; former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Ahmed Modibbo, former ACN Adamawa governorship candidate, Marcus Gundiri.











So, do you think he stands any chance or has he just reached his political Waterloo even after descending from the position of “Presidential candidate” to “Governorship candidate? Or is the “hand of Almighty Jonathan” offering help from above? Time will tell.