Skip to main content

Ribadu Goes Into Hiding As PDP Moves To Appoint Him Party Chairman

As the opposition Peoples Democratic Party gets set to name a new leader of the party, governors and other chieftains of the PDP are on a manhunt for a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, in their bid to make him chairman.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that a meeting of the national caucus of the PDP is currently holding in Abuja, after which the National Executive Committee would meet at the Wadata Plaza secretariat of the party by 2p.m. on Tuesday.

Mr. Ribadu was tipped for the chairmanship position last year, shortly after the then chairman, Ahmadu Muazu, resigned from office.

However, we gathered that the move, championed by governors elected under the party, was thwarted by the National Working Committee, NWC, under the interim leadership of Uche Secondus.

We also gathered that Mr. Ribadu who had earlier agreed to take the offer also abandoned it on account of "lack of seriousness to truly reform the party by its top echelon".

However, after a long back and forth and controversy, including court cases, the party agreed to hold a special NEC meeting to fill the position created by the resignation of Mr. Muazu.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt of spirited attempts over the last few days by some top party chieftains to persuade Mr. Ribadu to accept to chair and transform the party.

A source privy to the goings on in the PDP said some of the party's governors visited Mr. Ribadu in a last minute effort to get him to change his position. He was however, said to have stuck to his guns.

"Since midnight yesterday, party chieftains led by a governor from the South-south region began a search for Ribadu, to no avail.

"The ex-EFCC chair was said to have gone incommunicado since last night, making all attempts to reach him impossible," the source said.

He also said at least four governors of the party and other chieftains are currently waiting at the Bayelsa governors lodge in Maitama area of Abuja, scrambling to reach Mr Ribadu.

"Mr. Ribadu, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, is skeptical of taking the PDP job because of the battered image the party has suffered, especially with current corruption probes.

"He is also not confident that the party's bigwigs would tolerate his radical disposition," our source said.

PREMIUM TIMES reporters have been unsuccessful in reaching Mr. Ribadu for hours. His telephones are switched off the several times our reporters called.

At his residence in the Asokoro District of Abuja, security guards denied our reporters entry, saying the former EFCC chairman was not home, and that his whereabouts is unknown.

When contacted, his spokesperson, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said he had not been able to reach Mr. Ribadu in the past two days.

 
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PEP GUARDIOLA AND LIONEL MESSI DONATE €1,000,000 EACH TO HELP FIGHT COVID-19

Manchester City football manager Pep Guardiola alongside Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi have each contributed a whooping €1million to help Spain and Argentina in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. According to Spanish media reports, Guardiola sent the money (equivalent to his monthly wage at Manchester City) to Barcelona Medical College and the Angel Soler Daniel foundation, a foundation named after a doctor from Santpedor, the town in Barcelona Guardiola hails from.  Guardiola made the financial pledge on Tuesday following an appeal by the foundation over the weekend as the Spanish government declared a state of emergency on Saturday in a bid to quell the coronavirus pandemic. Messi, the World's 2019 footballer of the year, made his own contribution after taking part in several campaigns to raise awareness over the past week, highlighting the importance of staying at home and washing hands to avoid the virus from spreading.  According to Cat...

ABIA GOVT TAKE MADE IN ABA TO USA

As part of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu's campaign for promoting Made-in-Aba products, Abia State government and Abia State National Association, U.S.A. and North America, ASNA-NA,showcased the potentials and quality of Aba products to the international community during the association's national convention in New York City, USA. The event saw many designers, such as Chumar, and thousands of products shipped in from Aba on display, with models on the runway, adorning Aba-made designs. According to the Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mr. John Ndubuisi, all the outfits on display were sold out and orders placed, noting that Made-in-Aba designs will soon be competing in the American market. He added that with the clamour for restructuring, Abia State Government is working to grow the local economy, provide employment, empower skilled artisans and boost internally-generated revenue, stressing that Aba, dubbed The Japan of Africa for its entrepreneurial ...

Barcelona report La Liga president

Barcelona have reported La Liga president Javier Tebas to Spain's highest sports court after he questioned their players' conduct during a heated 3-2 win at Valencia. The hosts were fined 1,500 euros (£1,340) after a water bottle was thrown from the stands at players. But the disciplinary committee also criticised the "reproachable behaviour" of the celebrating Barcelona players. The Catalan club said these declarations were "irresponsible". "The most serious thing is the thrown bottle, but some players acted in a way we don't like," Tebas said after the incident, also suggesting Barcelona players provoked Valencia fans. Barcelona said they have requested the Administrative Court of Sport open disciplinary proceedings against Tebas and members of the federation's competition committee. The club's president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, added: "Making statements regarding the actions of the players adds even more tension to a situation tha...