FCT Senate seat: PDP denies adopting Kingibe’s wife

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 10.03.2008

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has denied plans to replace its senatorial candidate in the repeat senatorial election, Alhaji Sidi Ali, with the wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Ireti.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the repeat election in the FCT for April 5, following the cancellation of the election of Senator Jibril Wowo at the election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Administrative Secretary of the PDP in FCT, Alhaji Ibrahim Sadiq, who made the declaration on Sunday said the party had no intention of replacing Ali,who contested the April 21, 2007 election.

Ireti’s posters had adorned streets of Abuja in the last one week, following speculations that the PDP was about to adopt her for the April 5 election.

The posters all bear the logo of PDP. Ireti had lost the PDP primaries to Hon. Sidi Ali ahead of the 2007 elections. But the administrative secretary said: “It is absolutely not true that the FCT chapter of the PDP is going substitute Hon. Sidi Ali for Ireti Kingibe or any other person for that matter.

He is the candidate of our party in theFCT, and besides, the time for substitution of candidates is over, what we are waiting for is the publication by INEC.