3 PDP guber aspirants withdraw in protest in Adamawa

By Saidu Baba

As the Governorship primaries of the people's Democratic Party commences in Adamawa state ,two aspirants have withdrawn from the contest for alleged irregularities in the conduct of the primaries in the state.

Those that withdrew from the contest are Dr.Umar Ardo and Former Deputy Governor,His excellency Sa'ad M.C Tahir and both accused the party of not providing a level playing ground for the exercise.

In a press release issued by MC Tahir says "I regrettably wish to honourably withdraw from the race having realised that there is no clear direction and focus in the way and manner in which the activities of the party is being conducted in the state". Sa'ad alleged

Similarly Dr. Ardo in a press statement issued in Yola Yesterday said " The guidelines for the conduct of the exercise have been deliberately flaunted as a large number of statutory delegates were removed and duly elected AD HOC delegates and ward Executives were whimsically changed.

"Under these circumstances I think it is best to maintain my personal and political integrity and withdraw from the race.There is no point pursing a cause in which justice,equity and honesty are ignobly compromised ".Ardo decried

Both the duo lamented that under such circumstances,they rather maintained their political and personal integrity by withdrawing from the governorship race.

In a related development,another aspirant Adamu Muazu Modibbo has also withdrew from the governorship race for not being comfortable with the way and manner the primaries is being conducted.

Modibbo disclosed his withdrawal through a letter he wrote to the state chairman of the party,Barristar Shehu Tahir registering his disappointment stressing that other aspirants are easy criminally buying votes from delegates.

Modibbo who accused some anointed aspirants of paying as much as N50,000 and N100,000 per delegate decrying that reports at his disposal has shown that in Michika,Guyuk ,Demsa and Yola South local government areas in the state delegates names were changed illegally.

He cautioned the party leadership to be wary of such dangerous trends that will only destroy the well being of the party saying his withdrawal is in the interest of the party.

"As a consequence of the issues above,I hereby withdraw from the race in the interest of the party .

"My chairman my conscience and principles cannot allow me to either spend such huge funds buying votes or be part of such political process to produce our leaders.

"It is a large ballot market that has opened in Yola today in the last twelve hours of process ".Modibbo fumed

With Modibbo's withdrawal,only Former Governor Ahmadu Fintiri,Barrister Aliyu Ahmed ,Ambassador Jameel Zubair and Former Governor Bala James Nggilari are left for the primaries.