Ribadu pulls out of APC Adamawa governorship race over refusal to adopt direct primaries as Bindow faces certificate forgery allegations

FORMER Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has pulled out of the race to become Adamawa State governor in protest at the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has refused to hold direct primaries.

Mallam Ribadu had announced his intention to stand as an APC candidate in next year's election and was set for a contest with incumbent governor Jibrilla Bindow, who is seeking a second term in office. However, yesterday, Mallam Ribadu withdrew from the contest after the Adamawa State chapter of the APC refused to succumb to the request from all the challengers that the candidate be selected through direct primaries.

Salihu Bawuro, the director-general of Mallam Ribadu's campaign, said: “While we and the  greater majority of the APC family in Adamawa state supported giving power to the people through direct primaries, the party decided to adopt indirect primaries at the last minute. We were opposed to indirect primaries ab initio because we believe the process that brought those expected to participate in the process was fundamentally flawed.

“When the party congresses were held in May, we cried that no elections were held in Adamawa and the officials were only handpicked by those who hijacked the process. This was not addressed, so we are therefore under no illusion of a fair contest in the hands of those so-called party officials.”

He added, however, that Mallam Ribadu will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari and would not leave the party. in 2015, Mallam Ribadu stood as a Peoples Democratic Party candidate and lost to Governor Bindow, who is currently facing allegations of certificate forgery.

A civil society group known as the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, compelling the inspector-general of police to commence the prosecution of Governor Bindow over offences  related to forgery and perjury. It added that the governor did not complete his secondary education at Government Secondary School, Mangu, Plateau State, as he claimed.

In the lawsuit, the GICN is also seeking an order compelling the West African Examination Council to produce the result of the Governor within 14 days. According to GICN, Governor Bindow, described as a business tycoon, is new to politics and those close to him revealed that he did not possess a secondary school certificate despite claiming so in his resume.

One source said: “We were reliably informed that his poor educational background has affected governance in Adamawa State. Since he got to office, he has been unable to embark on projects that could help the development of the state.

“Adamawa State has lost its glory and Governor Bindow is limited in performance because of his poor educational background. It is very obvious that he cannot pilot the state effectively, and this is affecting development in the state."