Fintiri, nine others gang up against Ribadu, Marwa

•PDP appeal panel clears  acting Adamawa governor
Ten of the 14 aspirants contesting for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in the Adamawa State governorship by-election have come together against Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and three others.
The others are former Lagos State Military Administrator Gen. Buba Marwa, ex-Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Executive Secretary Dr. Ahmed Modibo and former governorship candidate Marcus Gundiri.
In the gang-up are Acting Governor Umar Fintiri, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, Awwal Tukur, James Barka, Sen Abubakar Girei, Dr. Idi Hong, Aliyu Kama, Umar Ardo, Jerry Kumdisi and Dr. Andrawus Sawa.
Eight of the aspirants stormed the party secretariat in Yola yesterday. Finitiri and Dr. Sawa were absent.
Spokesman of the group and former presidential adviser Ahmed Gulak said the 10 of them had resolved to come together in the interest of the party and the people.
“We are the only PDP family members; any other person outside is not PDP. Any other person outside the listed persons is not PDP,” Gulak said.
Gulak said they would remain vigilant for today’s ward congress to check any attempt to use non party members as delegates by any person or group.
“Tomorrow (today) is ward congress. Anybody who brings three delegates from the 226 wards outside the party structure will be resisted,” Gulak warned.
He said they would resist any imposition of candidate from the national leadership of the PDP and the Presidency for the October 11 by- election.
Gulak said they resolved not to allow a stranger to become the standard bearer of the party they laboured for.
Gulak said they would not recognise Ribadu, Dr. Moddibo, Gen. Marwa and Mr. Gundiri as bonafide members of the party.
He insisted that the group would not allow an outsider to rob them of their right in the house they built.
Gulak boasted that one of the 10 aspirants will emerge as the party’s standard bearer.
The party’s state deputy chairman, Alhaji Jingi Rufai, praised the aspirants for their decision to unite for a common cause saying their action would ensure transparency in the primary.
Rufai said party officials had met over the ward congress and resolved that strict compliance with the party constitution would be observed.
Rufai said the party was aware of some “fake registers” and membership forms in circulation, warning that those planning to rig the congress would be disappointed.
But the immediate past state Secretary of PDP and a leading campaigner for the Ribadu candidacy, Mr Phineas Elisha, said the action of the aspirants amounted to indiscipline as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had cleared them to contest.
Elisha said the party’s constitution should determine who is a member and not individuals.
“You cannot just come out because you hate the face of a person to say he is not a member.
“How can you say that a person that registered, request for and was granted waiver is not a member of a party? People need to show respect to the party’s constitution,” Elisha said.