The acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, insisted yesterday that he should be handed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship ticket, saying his performance should earn him the prize.
He was speaking when he visited the state secretariat of the PDP in Yola, the state capital on Monday.
The acting governor was received by the chairman, Chief Joel Hammanjoda Madaki, and elders of the party as well as local government chairmen.
Accompanied by all 25 members of the state House of Assembly, Fintiri urged the party to endorse him for the by-election.
The acting governor will vie for the sole PDP ticket against no fewer than seven other aspirants including former EFCC Chairman Nuhu Ribadu; former Lagos State military administrator, Buba Marwa; former Minister of State for Health, Aliyu Idi-Hong; and former Political Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak.
Others are former House of Representatives member and son of ex-PDP national chairman, Auwalu Tukur; former governorship aspirant, Marcus Gundiri; Dr. Umaru Ardo and former UBEC executive secretary, Ahmed Modibbo.
But justifying why he should be given the ticket, Fintiri said: “My performance as acting governor in less than two months has shown to all, especially the people of Adamawa State, that if I continue for another six months, the dividends of democracy will reach all and sundry.”
The acting governor, who spoke in a firm tone said: “The people have seen what I have done and that is why I’m directing the party to see my coming as important since I worked hard with others in the State Assembly to restore the stolen mandate of the party, which was given to Admiral Murtala Nyako but he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
“Mr. Chairman, since I assumed office as the acting governor, the people of Adamawa State have been calling on me daily to contest the by-election and even the election next year; that is why I have come with my team, all members of the State Assembly, to inform you that we are involved in this election and I will finish Nyako’s tenure ending May 2015”, he added.
According to Fintiri, his colleagues in the State Assembly want him to complete Nyako’s tenure.
He said: “I want to assure the party that stability is maintained in the Adamawa PDP and also in the state as the good people have always been asking me to continue and therefore I’m here for the endorsement for the 6th September 2014 PDP primaries”.
Fintiri donated N10 million for the repair of the party secretariat.
Acting Speaker, Hon. Laori Kwamoti, said the entire members of the House are behind Fintiri.
The State PDP chairman, Madaki, thanked the acting governor for the gesture, saying: “Let me remind you that PDP is a party for all and the party will not discriminate against anyone.
“Whoever wishes to contest elections on its platform should go and purchase the form because the party is a liberal one that will not reject anyone. Everyone should be allowed to play a role”.
He advised the party to be careful as flexing muscles could ruin its chances in the governorship by-election, which INEC has scheduled for October 11, 2014.