Adamawa 2015: Anxiety over plot to concede guber ticket to Ngilari

Contrary to the zoning of the Adamawa State governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Adamawa Central Senatorial zone, there were indications yesterday, of an alleged fresh plot to concede the ticket to the state governor, Mr. Bala Ngilari.

However, some PDP stakeholders in the state were said to be opposed to the move, because,  according to them fielding Ngilari, who is from the northern senatorial zone for the 2015 gubernatorial contest, might attract protest votes from the people of the state.
Checks revealed that some individuals in the Presidency, including a serving minister and two former ministers, have been making a strong case for Ngilari. They allegedly held meetings with some strategists of President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday and Tuesday to prevail on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to renege on the gubernatorial zoning formula for the state.
Sources said the argument put forward was that since the party had given all governors seeking second term the Right of First Refusal, Ngilari should  also benefit from the arrangement. Besides, they reasoned that since the Adamawa governor  was not part of the previous power sharing formula in the state, he should not be  bound by it.
It was gathered that those behind Ngilari had been trying to seek the attention and endorsement of a top Federal Government official.
The stakeholders also warned the party against the danger of reneging on its promise to zone the governorship ticket to Adamawa Central District, pointing out that the district has not produced a governor since the inception of the state.
Also, the stakeholders stated that the northern senatorial zone had produced two ministers, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, adding that since the zoning of the governorship seat to the central senatorial zone had been announced to the electorate in the state, it could lead to the switching of votes for APC, if the PDP defaults.
A top source said: “All along, Ngilari had said he would vie for the Northern Senatorial District’s ticket. But a serving minister and two former ministers from the Middle Belt are already lobbying the presidency to give the slot to Ngilari.
“They stated that since the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar, who is a Muslim, is being penciled for PDP ticket in Taraba State, Ngilari, a Christian, should be allowed to fly the party’s ticket in Adamawa. Why are they trying to introduce ethnic and religious politics into a heterogeneous state like ours?”
“With this plot, the governorship ticket hitherto zoned to the Adamawa Central District will now be for the Northern District.”