ADAMAWA: Gulak, Marwa, Girei join race for PDP ticket

The race for the Governor’s seat in Adamawa is gradually heating up as ten aspirants have so far declared interest to run on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in the forthcoming Adamawa State governorship election. Aspirants who have indicated interest so far include a former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Maj. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.); a former Senator representing Adamawa Central, Abubakar Girei; a former Political Adviser to the President, Ahmed Gulak, and a former minister, Idi Hong. Also, Dr. Umar Ardo, Dr. Ahmed Modibo, Mr. Markus Gundiri and the son of a former PDP National Chairman, Mr. Awual Tukur have also joined in the race. According to reports from Punch, the incumbent Acting Governor, Bala Ngilari is also said to be under pressure from 13 of his colleagues from the state House of Assembly to throw his hat in the ring. A top party source confided in our correspondent that the party would take a lot of factors into consideration in picking a candidate for the election. The source, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said, “As you are aware, the PDP has always been the party of choice in Adamawa State. “Whosoever is going to fly our flag must be a loyal party member, who enjoys the confidence of not only the party leadership but also the people. We cannot repeat the mistake we made with Nyako. Party leaders are resolute that this time around, only loyal and tested members will be selected to fly the party flag at all levels.” However, aspirants such as Girei, Gundiri, Hong and Modibo, who hail from the Central Senatorial zone, are asking the party to consider ceding the ticket to the zone because it remains the only zone which has not produced a governor since the creation of the state. Available records indicate that the northern zone has ruled the state thrice while the south has done the same four times. It was also learnt that a PDP leader, who enjoys President Goodluck Jonathan’s confidence, held a meeting with Adamawa PDP stakeholders in his Asokoro residence last Thursday. A source privy to the meeting said, “He told them clearly that the party would not support the candidature of Tukur’s son, neither would it support a candidate whose loyalty has been called to question at any time.”