The Governorship Screening Panel of the Peoples
Democratic Party has disqualified the Acting
Governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri, from
taking part in the forthcoming governorship
primary in the state.
The primary holds in Yola on September 6.
The decision to ban Fintiri was taken when the
committee interviewed all the 11 aspirants and
screened their qualification papers, which included
party membership card, tax clearance certificates
and educational certificates, among other things in
Abuja on Saturday night.
The Chairman of the screening panel, Sen. Ibrahim
Mantu, announced the result of his committee
which met for about nine hours at the party
national secretariat.
Mantu, in company with other members of the
committee, said Fintiri was disqualified because of
Section 191 (2), which he claimed did not allow an
acting governor to transmit from that position to
become a substantive governor.
He said, “Thirteen aspirants were cleared while one
was disqualified. He was found to have fallen short
of the guideline set by the party.
“Fintiri was not cleared because of Section 191(2)
which does not allow him to transmit from acting
capacity to the position of the governor.”
Section 191 (1) of the constitution reads, “The
deputy governor of a state shall hold the office of
governor of the state, if the office of Governor
becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation,
impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal of
the governor from office for any other reason in
accordance with section 188 or 189 of this
constitution.
“(2) Where any vacancy occurs in the circumstances
mentioned in subsection (1) of this section during a
period when the office of deputy governor of the
state is also vacant, the speaker of the House of
Assembly of the state shall hold the office of
governor of the state for a period of not more than
three months, during which there shall be an
election of a new governor of the state who shall
hold office for the unexpired term of office of the
last holder of the office.
“(3) Where the office of the deputy governor
becomes vacant -
(a) by reason of death, resignation, impeachment,
permanent incapacity or removal in accordance
with section 188 or 189 of this Constitution;”
Mantu said it would be wrong for the governor,
who he described as the midwife, to also be seen as
a pregnant mother.
Sources close to the acting governor on Saturday
night however said he would appeal the verdict.
“He will appeal the verdict. The panel
misinterpreted the constitution,” one of his aides,
whose identity was not known, said after Mantu
spoke.
Signs that all was not well with Fintiri started
manifesting after he came out of the room where
he was screened.
The acting governor who was jovial with reporters
while going in however refused to greet them when
he came out.
Even when he was accosted by journalists, he
refused to speak as he started walking to the gate.
His aides however brought him back as it appeared
that he had forgotten that he had walked past
where his official vehicle was packed.
Mantu listed those who were cleared by his
committee as a three-time gubernatorial aspirant,
Dr. Umar Ardo; former Chairman, Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu;
Senator Abubakar Girei; former Special Adviser to
President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters,
Ahmed Gulak; a former Military Administrator of
Lagos and Borno states, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa
(retd.); and a former Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs, Dr. Aliyu Idi- Hong.
Before Mantu announced the result of the panel, all
the 14 aspirants expressed confidence that they
were capable of winning the primary.
Speaking with journalists after his screening,
Ribadu expressed satisfaction with the screening
process and noted his confidence that the party
leadership would ensure transparent primaries.
He said, “I pray to God that for the good of the
country; for the good people of Adamawa, what is
going on today is probably a turning point and a
change that is coming in Adamawa State and
Nigeria.”
Moddibo, on his part, described the screening
process as excellent and straightforward, adding
that the rest was left for the committee to decide.
He, however, ruled out any intention of stepping
down for any other aspirant, saying “that question
does not arise”
Ardo, on his part, expressed reservations against
the waiver granted Ribadu, Marwa and Gundiri to
face the screening ahead of the primaries.
He said “I am not satisfied because it did not follow
due process. In any case, I will abide by the
decision of the party.”
Another aspirant, and the eldest of the lot, Sawa,
said question were straightforward and excellent.
www.punchndg.com/politics/pdp-stops-adamawa-acting-gov-from-primary/

The game is for the favoured and not the qualified. But Rica may turn out to be a wrong option.

Na God catch u, now u don turn to use and dump

That is life. He thought that after impeaching the former governor he will automatically become the governor but the story change afterwards. He should be preparing to vacate from government house.

Despite all he did during d impeachment of Muritala Nyako.He was made to betray his boss.PDP is ungrateful.dis is also a lesson to other traitors out there

Dis shld make the fp

Nemesis!

What is nemesis over this. He is the speaker of the state house of assembly. If we wants to contest for the post of governor then he should resign from the post of speaker and by extension resign as the acting governor. Then he can come just all the other contenstants and contest on equal footing.

As acting governor, he is supposed to midwife the election, not participate in it.

^Which law states that he should quit before he can contest

Did Jonathan resign as acting president before contesting in 2011?

I would expect his next move will be to dump
PDP and decamp to APC where he might be
allowed to contest. APC is waiting to grant him automatic ticket if he will like to join them.