The Nation

Atiku: Adamawa judgement only a delay to PDP’s ouster

October 8, 2014 8:53 pm

The verdict sacking Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and stopping the October 11 governorship bye-election in Adamawa has only delayed the desire of the people of the state to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state, former vice president and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has said.

A federal high court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday ruled that former deputy governor of Adamawa state, Mr Bala Ngilari should be sworn in as substantive governor of the state, stopping the bye-election scheduled for October 11.

In a press statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by his media office, Atiku said that although he was bound to respect the decision of the court to make Ngilari governor of the northeastern state, the verdict of the court had inevitably delayed the ouster of the PDP whenever the election is held.

“The judicial verdict that may have tacitly cancelled the governorship bye-election in Adamawa state for now was a painful development for the membership of the APC in Adamawa state,” he stated.

“As leaders of the party, we shall respect the verdict of the court, but we must be quick to say that the verdict has merely delayed the overwhelming desire of the people of Adamawa state to vote for change and thumbs down the PDP imposition on a people. Clearly, we in the APC had the momentum and therefore an advantage going into Saturday’s election.”

Atiku argued that the people of Adamawa wanted change.

“They expressed that desire throughout the nooks and crannies of the state as evidenced in the massive momentum going for the candidate of our party during the electioneering campaign,” he added.

“As democrats with firm belief in the rule of law, we will respect the verdict of the judiciary. As politicians championing the course of change for a better and prosperous Nigeria, we shall remain resolute and provide the leadership that will make it possible for the people of Adamawa state and Nigerians in general to vote for change whenever and wherever the opportunity arises.”