Ribadu won’t join APC, says PDP scribe

The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party , Prof. Wale Oladipo, has said the visit of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, has no political undertone.

Oladipo, who said this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on Wednesday, said Ribadu was not defecting from the PDP to the ruling party.

He said, “Ribadu has always been like a son to Baba Akande. I read about the visit and I am sure he is not defecting to the APC.

“The visit did not have any political meaning. He just simply visited him in Ila-Orangun. He has always been close to Baba and that does not mean he is leaving.”

He said there was nothing wrong in politicians having friends among those who were not members of their political parties.

The former EFCC boss had visited Akande at the latter’s residence in Ila-Orangun on Sunday and both of them said the visit had nothing to do with defection.

However, the Director of Publicity and Strategy of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, had berated Ribadu for visiting Akande, who is a former governor of the state.

Odeyemi said, “I was told he visited Ila-Orangun but is Ila his local government where he is supposed to announce his defection?

“Ribadu has never proved to be a loyal party man. He joined the PDP from the ACN and he is going back now. He is not somebody to be depended upon when it comes to politics.”

Meanwhile, the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, has assured Nigerians of the Senate’s determination to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former governor said this in a New Year message that the upper legislative chamber was ready to work with the executive arm of government to ensure that the nation was repositioned for greatness.

Ribadu won’t join APC, says PDP scribe

Many Nigerian investments done with dirty money – Ribadu

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, on Wednesday alleged that a lot of investments being done in the country were from funds earned through illegal activities.

Nuhu Ribadu

He also identified illicit financial activities such as terrorism financing and money laundering as a major challenge affecting the country’s quest for development.

Ribadu spoke in Abuja at the 2nd Anti-money laundering/combating financial terrorism stakeholders’ consultative workshop organised by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.

He said Nigeria had yet to maximise its potential owing to terrorism financing and other money laundering activities, noting that the trend was making the country to lose huge funds.

He said. “Everything that is wrong about Nigeria has to do with dirty money. If you can follow it, get it back and punish these people, then you have cured the problem of Nigeria.

“When I look around, I see a lot of investments done with dirty money. Government needs help in identifying and arresting these people. Though it may seem like a daunting task, with professionals like ACAMS, Nigeria is poised to achieve this.”

Ribadu said there was a need for collaboration between relevant stakeholders to fight money laundering and curb terrorism financing.

He called for the building of a strong anti-graft institution to spearhead the fight against money laundering, adding that the restructuring of the banking sector had helped to restore confidence in the Nigerian economy.

He said, “In 2003, Nigeria was on the blacklist of most developed countries especially the US for money laundering.”

Many Nigerian investments done with dirty money – Ribadu

Ribadu told me Obasanjo used him as EFCC boss - Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, said that former President Goodluck Jonathan was becoming authoritarian while in office.

Watch And Pray, Watch And Prey By Wole Soyinka

Soyinka also said that the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu admitted to him in the UK that he (Ribadu) realised late that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was using him as EFCC boss.

Soyinka also said that the former President also committed what he described alarming errors of governance.

The playwright said he withdrew his support for Jonathan because he was drifting towards “fascism.”

Soyinka in an interview with the current edition of Zero Tolerance magazine, a publication of the EFCC, stated that Jonathan surrounded himself with ”unsavoury characters.”

He stated that it was important for any President or public officer to pick his advisers carefully because of the kind of characters who shielded the former President from certain happenings around hm.

Soyinka explained that he marched alongside others in order to ensure that Jonathan was sworn-in as the acting President in 2010, noting that the action was meant to protect the constitution and not about Jonathan.

He said, “We marched in order to protect the constitution, not the person of Jonathan. We retained a cordial relationship during his tenure. However despite some attacks I felt compelled to launch on him – and his wife. Jonathan committed some truly alarming errors of governance. He was propelling himself towards outright fascism.

“Asked by the interviewers if Jonathan was caged, he answered, “Correct. There are forces around Jonathan, you put your fingers around it, which he himself does not understand and that is why I stressed that, you’ve got to choose your circle of advisers very carefully, when you are in charge. He’s been caged; things are going on in his ministry that he did not know about.”

He stressed, for instance, that the former President did not know that King of Morocco had withdrawn his ambassador to Nigeria in March, 2015 until a week later.

He further stated that the former leader surrounded himself with corrupt individuals.

“When it comes to the issue of corruption, Jonathan surrounds himself with certain unsavoury characters and that is something you don’t have to do if you are in charge,” he said.

Soyinka said that a leader dedicated to the fight against corruption should ensure that the agencies entrusted with the responsibility to fight the scourge were strengthened.

According to him, he told pioneer Chairman of the EFCC, Ribadu, that he was being used by Obasanjo but he did not believe it.

He stated that the former EFCC boss admitted to him when he was sent on exile in the UK that he did realise very late that OBJ was using him.

Soyinka stressed that it was imperative to remove the link between power and corruption in Nigeria.

He said, “Why should a President involve himself in what is already structurally established and dedicated to that purpose?

“I warned your former boss, Ribadu, I told him that, your task will be done when in the course of your investigation; you discover that the source of the problem is the very person who appointed you.

“He looked shocked a bit, and eventually he and I met in London, after he was removed and (the current Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir) el-Rufai was also in exile after they tried to kill him. We met and Ribadu refused to sit down. I asked him to sit but he said no, that until I accepted his apology, he won’t sit down. I asked what apology? And he said ‘I should have listened to you. I failed to listen to you.

“Something you have said to me and I failed to listen’ Ribadu admitted that he realised very late that Obasanjo was using him.

“So we have to destroy that link between power and corruption. Audu Ogbeh confirmed what I am telling you. Then, it was ‘go after this one, go after that one, ahh you did not arrest him? Arrest his mother! I am challenging Obasanjo to deny it.

“So, when you are looking for corruption, you should look at the entire stratum of the society, while some forms of corruption are direct, others are indirect.

The professor also criticised the former President on his choice of campaign managers during the presidential elections, noting that he phoned Jonathan and cautioned him on his choice of former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, as one of his managers.

“Do you need somebody like that? What about somebody like Gbenga Daniel who closed down a legislature for almost a year? When I heard this, I called Jonathan, I asked him, ‘is this your understanding of democracy.”

“A governor closes down an assembly with the aid of the police and the place is under lock with ‘Mopol’ guarding it. When Jonathan selected this person as his campaign manager in Abuja, I telephoned him; I said does this support democracy that you choose this person. It is not a question of this person is a governor therefore come to my party, I can work with him. No, when a president picks somebody for a particular duty it means you are pointing that person out as an aspect of government so you see, it is impossible for me to pick Jonathan as a candidate,” he said.

Ribadu told me Obasanjo used him as EFCC boss - Soyinka

Ribadu, Mark at loggerhead over call to cut National Assembly budget

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,   Nuhu Ribadu and   the outgoing Senate President, David Mark, on Monday disagreed on the need for National Assembly to cut its budget in line with the current economic realities in the country.

Senate President, David Mark

They spoke at a   retreat organised for the Peoples Democratic Party National Assembly members-elect in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

Ribadu had stirred up a hornet’s nest by calling on the lawmakers-elect to make their monthly salaries public and also cut their budgets. His call immediately attracted side talks by the participants which included   governors and the leadership of the PDP.

Obviously aware that his advice was not being welcomed by majority of the lawmakers-elect, the former anti-corruption czar, reminded them that they would be going   to the National Assembly as the minority.

He said that Nigerians would not support the PDP if they (Nigerians) did not know what was earmarked for the National Assembly and how much a senator or a House of Representatives member earns.

Ribadu, who was the PDP’s Adamawa State governorship candidate for the March 28 election,   pointed out that patriotism and quality contributions by members of the PDP in the National Assembly would go a long way in reinventing   and preparing the party for a successful comeback in future elections.

He said, “If Nigerians do not know how much is earmarked for the National Assembly or how much money a senator earns, they will not support you. We must understand the pulse or the mood of the nation.

“The first step, therefore, is to open up the National Assembly by   ensuring transparency. Public office is what it is; public. Also, at this critical time of austerity, be champions   by slashing your own budget.

“My very good friend, Ben Bruce (a senator-elect) has already spoken about this. There are many others   already saying it. For you to excel, you must put in extra effort than your colleagues in other parties.”

He stressed   that the PDP lawmakers-elect must not only be champions of probity and discipline, they must wage war against corruption in the system and ensure strict compliance with appropriation as well as due process.

Ribadu added, “As legislators, you will be going to the National Assembly as the minority. There is a   sense of personal loss no doubt; but there are good opportunities for all and democratic practice in Nigeria.

“Your patriotism and quality contributions as members of the National Assembly will go a long way in reinventing   our party and preparing it for a successful comeback in subsequent elections.

“You must demonstrate personal will and commitment towards being above board if you really want to checkmate others. The first charge for you is to be champions of probity in the workings of the National Assembly as well as the Legislature-Executive relations.”

But Mark, who showed his     dissatisfaction with   Ribadu’s charge,   wondered why “every time, people will talk about National Assembly budget.”

Explaining that the budget of the Assembly had always   been   in public domain, the outgoing President of the Senate argued that Senators and House of Representatives members   had always made sacrifices in line with the nation’s economic realities.

“Every time, people will talk about National Assembly budget; for Heaven’s sake, unless you would say you have never seen the national budget, it is a public document. The National Assembly budget is there with every other budget,” he stated in an angry tone.

Mark,who added that the National Assembly members “ were the first to make a cut in 2015 budget,” said that “ people should appreciate what we are doing and not to come and give an impression that our budget is bloated while every other person had made a cut.”

He stated further, “We are trying our best more than any ministry today. I can put my hand on my chest without fear of contradiction at all and say we made a lot of sacrifices in our budgeting system.

“Our budget is open; what we earn as National Assembly members is open. If anybody wants to receive his salary and donate it, he is free to do so. He does not need to consult us. I think we should not play politics with what is a very serious issue. Our budget is in the open and everybody can see it.”

Mark however charged the PDP lawmakers-elect   and other PDP members to always speak in one voice.

He said, “We must subject our individual interest for our group interest. In the election of principal officers of National Assembly, we must vote in one accord. We must know that united we stand, divided we fall.

“We must take our destinies in our hands. We must be ready to provide credible, vibrant, determined and focused opposition to the party in power in a manner that would guarantee development and good governance.

“In doing so, we must maintain a strong synergy between our members in the National Assembly and the National Working Committee. The PDP is still a brand all Nigerians know. We just need to reinvent the wheels and move forward.”

He decried the spate of defections from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress after the elections and appealed to those remaining to be steadfast with the ideology of the party.

In his keynote address , Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu maintained that playing the role of the opposition was not a death sentence, but a soul searching for the way out of the predicament.

Ekweremadu stated that the PDP stood a great chance of regaining power in 2019 should its members   put their house in order.

He added that the governors elected on the platform of the PDP were expected to play a major role in restoring the party’s fortunes.

Ekweremadu said, “May I also remind you that you have a big role to play in restoring the political fortunes of the PDP because PDP governed-states will now be the major yardsticks for evaluating our performance in the next four years.

“I call on you to demonstrate unbeatable and undisputable capacity for good governance such as would stand the PDP-governed states out as models in uncommon transformation and actualisation of all the blessings and promises that democracy holds.”

Earlier, Governors of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa; and other governors, who were elected on the platform of the PDP gave various strategies on how the party could   regain power at the centre in 2019.

Ribadu, Mark at loggerhead over call to cut National Assembly budget

Ribadu: You Don"t Change a C-in-C in the Middle of War

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By Daji Sani in Yola

Citing the latest successes recorded by the military in the ongoing campaign against  terrorists and the recapture of territories previously occupied by Boko Haram insurgents, Anti-corruption czar and former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Saturday warned that changing the Commander-in-Chief in the middle of war would be inimical to the consolidation of the victories achieved so far.

Nuhu Ribadu

Ribadu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Adamawa State, therefore urged Nigerians to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan in this month’s election so as to sustain the tempo of the ongoing onslaught against Boko Haram, a deadly group that has killed about 13,000 people, captured territories in the Northeast and displaced over one million people in the past six years.

But in a major turnaround after months of gains by Boko Haram, Nigerian troops have retaken several  towns in recent weeks that had been in extremist hands for months, and are on the verge of liberating the last enclaves of the militant sects.

Nigerians will however be going to the poll on March 28 to cast their votes in a closely contested election in which President Jonathan is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, while his main challenger, former Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is vying on the platform of the All Progressive Congress.

“You don’t change a commander-in-Chief in time of war”, said Ribadu in Mubi during  his visit to three of the liberated local government areas of Adamawa State to commiserate with the people affected by the insurgents’ occupation of their towns.

Buttressing his argument, Ribadu said, “Political stability is key to peace and security, more so at a time of instability like what we are witnessing today. We cannot afford to disrupt this operation midstream. This tide should be allowed to continue.”

Faulting criticisms that government waited for so long before effectively responding to the rampaging deadly sect, Ribadu said: “The President never wanted to have large number of collateral damage. He is a careful leader who quietly took this very measured strategy without grandstanding. Today, we see the result of this matured way of handling this difficult war, which has pushed out the terrorist with minimal civilian casualty.

“The President took his time to build this strong coalition of bringing together our neighbouring countries. The result is for everyone to see. We have seen that the table is now turned against the terrorists, and they are on the run.”

“Now, it is about consolidation of this success, on how to restore life in these affected communities and bring about stability. The President has already established the Victims Support Fund and he has a marshal plan on how to consolidate on this military successes”, the retired AIG said to further buttress his argument.

Drawing from his personal experience, he said, “I have worked in many crisis zones, including Afghanistan, I know what insurgency is all about. It is unfortunate that at a time the country should unite for action against the insurgents we were busy apportioning blame. That is why I refrained from any comment about this all this while.”

He said terrorism is a global phenomenon which is difficult to purge, adding that “No country has succeeded in eliminating terrorism altogether and within a short time. The victory may not be total and immediate. It is a gradual process.”

Thanking those he called the real heroes of the war against insurgency, Ribadu commended the Nigerian military, the police and the  ALLIED forces of other nations for the successes recorded against Boko Haram, adding that the federal government and the military deserve votes of confidence from Nigerians for what they had been able to do in reclaiming territories previously occupied by the insurgents.

“The military and our gallant members of the vigilante who sacrificed a lot and even lost their lives, I am proud to associate myself with you.

“Our security agencies are doing extremely great work and we should unite in applauding them. They have operated in the most difficult situations but they are winning even though the world refused to help us.”

He however decried the politicization of the anti-terror war saying, “It is sad that politics is brought into this issue of insurgency. Those making such comments do not know that they are hurting us, we that are living in the epicenter of this insurgency. Our people have suffered for too long, those hauling words from their comfort zones should please shut up and give us chance to confront what directly affects us,” he said.

Speaking further, Ribadu said, “President Goodluck Jonathan is a very compassionate and kind-hearted person but it is being misunderstood to mean something else. But to me, it is an attribute of a good leader. We have seen the President demonstrating compassion in a number of ways. Our lives have been turned upside down here. He has visited us, he has assured us of his commitment to restore back our lives. And I believe he will live up to those promises.”

He also noted that the Adamawa State Governor Bala James Ngillari had demonstrated strong leadership in the fight against insurgency by cooperating with the security agencies and pioneering strategic civilian involvement in tackling the activities of the terrorists.

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Ribadu: You Don"t Change a C-in-C in the Middle of War

Obasanjo: Yar’Adua Wanted Ribadu To Marry His Daughter. He Refused. Trouble Started.

Former President Olusegun Obsanjo has sensationally linked the travails of Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to his refusal to marry late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s daughter.

Nuhu Ribadu

Yar’Adau’s daughters were famous for marrying big political figures, mostly governors.

Ribadu, then an assistant inspector general of police, was removed as EFCC chairman, demoted to the rank of deputy commissioner of police and eventually dismissed after a face-off with Yar’Adua.

It was generally believed then that Ribadu’s refusal to terminate the corruption trial of James Ibori, former governor of Delta state and Yar’Adua’s close ally, was responsible for his travails.

While not dismissing the link, Obasanjo has also suggested that Ribadu’s refusal to marry Yar’Adua’s daughter could have contributed to his maltreatment by the former president who died in 2010.

He also wrote in “My Watch”, his three-volume memoirs launched on Tuesday, that Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, thought to be the most powerful man in Yar’Adua’s government, had a fall-out with Ribadu over a woman who was said to be more interested in the former EFCC chairman.

Obasanjo further alleged that Babagana Kingibe had a personal fall-out with Nasir el-Rufai over the infidelity of one of Kingibe’s wives.

The retired general wrote: “It was revealed, for instance, that Tanimu’s main reason for wanting to fight Nuhu to a standstill was the allegation that a woman he was interested in marrying was showing more interest in Nuhu! I understand that Tanimu, in the end, married the lady, and I wondered if that would be the end of the war of attrition against Nuhu.

“This was about the same time that Umaru encouraged Nuhu to marry one of his daughters, an idea which Nuhu spurned. Could that have been partly responsible for Umaru’s fury?

“The Kingibe case as revealed is quite similar to Tanimu’s, as a woman is at the centre of it also. Nasir el-Rufai was accused of knowingly harbouring a boyfriend of one of Kingibe’s wives in his guest house, where this wife and her boyfriend would meet.

“If Nasir chose to make his house available to his friend out of hospitality, one wonders if he could also determine which guest, male or female, his friend would receive. It would have been a different case if Nasir himself was accused of dating Kingibe’s wife!”

Obasanjo further narrated how he was “blacked out” of Yar’Adua’s government at the instance of a “cabal”.

The former head of state revealed that a very close friend of the Villa and a member of Yar’Adua’s inner circle, a minister from Katsina, spent two nights in his house in Abeokuta after Yar’Adua’s death.

“What he told me, which may or may not have been true, was astounding, and for me another good lesson. It was sickening how Tanimu and Kingibe used government instruments at their disposal to settle personal scores.

“At first, it was the same men now in the corridors of power, like Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and Baba Kingibe, who suddenly remembered ‘the evil’ I had done them in the past, which they wanted to avenge. For Tanimu, whom I appointed Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria on the recommendation of then Governor Umaru Yar’Adua, my offence was that I did not appoint him to run and handle the Yar’Adua Presidential Campaign and manage the campaign fund. From what I had seen of his performance at the Federal Mortgage Bank, I would not have made or allowed such an appointment.

“For Baba Kingibe his grouse, I came to hear, was that I had advised Umaru Yar’Adua to consider the background of the man he was proposing to appoint as the secretary to the government of the federation. Baba was rejected by the government of Cameroon, at one time, when he was proposed as Nigerian Ambassador; and when Shehu Yar’Adua and I were in Kirikiri Prison, Shehu did not have any good thing to say about Baba Kingibe.

“Umaru Yar’Adua told Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi and Baba Kingibe my impression of them and they went up in arms, aided and supported by two governors – Bukola Saraki and James Ibori – for their own personal and selfish reasons. There were other men and women who played supporting roles. I was neither worried nor have apologies for my views and impressions, which are well grounded in evidence.”

Obasanjo said Yar’Adua later sacked Kingibe when “overambition was noticed by his boss” at a time ill-health was taking its toll on the late president’s work.

With Yar’Adua’s health getting worse, intrigues ensured and members of the “cabal” went after anyone they perceived as close to Obasanjo, including the VP, Goodluck Jonathan, who was starved of information and access to the president.

Obasanjo wrote: “Tanimu confided in his friend, saying that they all realised that it was only a matter of time; the centre would not hold. Everybody then decided to make money for themselves before the centre collapsed; and they did so while the No. 2 man in government knew little or nothing about what was going on.

“He was kept in the dark. Government had been privatised by the cabal. For the whole of this period, the vice president could not chair a cabinet meeting, and he did not know how long the president would be away. During my administration, my VP chaired cabinet meetings any Wednesday that I was not physically in Abuja; and why not, after all if anything serious happened to me the VP should take over automatically.

“In this case, however, Yar’Adua’s VP was not even briefed of the president travelling out of the country. He was starved of funds for the maintenance of his office and residence and, in fact, unimaginably, was later called in to see the dead body of the president on his death bed. I know the plight of the VP because, on a few occasions, I had to encourage him to bear it by being patient.”

Obasanjo said the party also attacked him.

He wrote: “The amendment to the Peoples Democratic Party’s Constitution, which puts a former president who is a product of PDP as the chairman of the party’s board of trustees, was spearheaded by then Governors James Ibori, Makarfi and Chief Tony Anenih. Whatever their reason for that constitutional amendment, I was the one available to occupy the post.

“But when Umaru and members of his cabal, along with their associates, set about pulling down Obasanjo, they pursued it to the board of trustees. Chief Tony Anenih and James Ibori were fellow travellers. I personally gained nothing from being chairman of the board of trustees (BOT). If anything, it cost me in terms of time, resources, and effort to settle quarrels and feuds within the party.

“Nevertheless, I have derived benefits from the party as I became elected president of Nigeria on its platform; therefore, I should contribute whatever I can to the fortunes and sustenance of the party. But, having participated actively in bringing up my successor and my successor’s successor, I believe that I have adequately paid my dues. Nobody in Goodluck Jonathan’s camp, or sponsored or encouraged by them, is clamouring for my bowing out, but I personally believe in doing so while the ovation is loudest.”

Obasanjo: Yar’Adua Wanted Ribadu To Marry His Daughter. He Refused. Trouble Started.

I wish Ribadu luck with Goodluck - Tinubu

A chieftain of the All Progresives Congress, APC, and a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Asiwaju Tinubu has wished the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who has dumped the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to contest the upcoming Adamawa by election.

This happen to be the first time in a very long time that a politician in Nigeria defect from one party to another without controversy.

Earlier misunderstanding was cleared now by the former EFCC chairman, appealing to what he referred to as his friends not to misunderstand his decision.

Tinubu, wished Ribadu through his twitter handle, an usual style of one of the founder of the APC.

It is obvious that there are many twitter handle clones, the particular Tinubu handle that wished Ribadu has no VERIFIED as in many others.

The tweet reads “Ribadu remains a friend & brother. He is matured. He remains one who believes in liberty, justice and service. I wish him luck with GOODLUCK”

 

 

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I wish Ribadu luck with Goodluck - Tinubu

Ribadu joining PDP A Political Suicide - APC

• Ribadu Got It Wrong on Governor Amaechi 

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed disappointment over the statement allegedly made by the former EFCC boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu against the governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

Nuhu Ribadu

In a Statement issued on Wednesday, the APC said that the decision taken by Ribadu to buy governorship form under the PDP is a political suicide.

Ribadu, according to reports which he denied yesterday in a post on his Facebook Fanpage, in trying to justify his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), demonised the APC and its leaders, describing Governor Amaechi as someone who “is hungry for power and does not know how to go about it, except with money. “

Responding to the statement, the River APC said ”Ribadu’s outburst is very unfortunate and borne out of ignorance of what the antecedents of Amaechi are. It is on record that during the days of Chief Rufus Ada George as Governor of Rivers State, he offered Amaechi appointment as one of his Commissioners but Amechi declined and instead nominated his cousin, Sir Celestine Omehia, whom George appointed as the Commissioner for Education.

”This does not in any way indicate somebody who is hungry for power. While Amaechi, like Ribadu, has exercised his constitutional right to seek election as Governor, his feats, which he rightfully attributes to the grace of God, conclusively prove that he never sought office due to hunger for power but, rather, in order to render service and make the society a better place.

APC reminded Ribadu that he had described his new found party, PDP, as a den of thieves.

The party said ”This is in direct contrast to the conduct of Mallam Ribadu, who after being the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011, has now stooped so low to buy PDP guber form to contest the governorship of Adamawa State thereby committing a political suicide and if we still know PDP very well, Ribadu will surely regret this unwise step in a matter of few weeks. And to think that this is the same PDP which Ribadu once described as a den of thieves! So between Amaechi and Ribadu, who should rightly be accused of being hungry for power? Obviously, it is Ribadu, who has just confirmed his position in the league of political prostitutes!”

The party wished Ribadu well in what it referred as ”his latest political gamble”, and warned  him to leave Amaechi and APC alone.Adding that he should preoccupy himself with how to survive among the sharks and wolves that he decided to join after abusing them to high heavens.

APC urged not be dismayed or discouraged by the unprincipled step of Ribadu and his likes but unite and seek solution on how to save our nation from the pains and shame that PDP Government has brought to our nation through the looting of our common patrimony with impunity and turning corruption into an institution and not disparagement of Governor Amaechi or any other progressive leader of our nation. ”The PDP Government has destroyed all facets of our nationhood – our education sector is in shambles together with our Health Sector so any sound mind joining or promoting such a party like PDP that have brought so much misery and poverty to our nation is totally out of tune from reality.” the party added.

”Nigerians are aware that the joining of Governor Amaechi and other former PDP Governors to APC have not only brought vibrancy but made APC as a better alternative to the evil that PDP represents.”

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Ribadu joining PDP A Political Suicide - APC

Amaechi, Fashola, Ribadu, others tackle FG on corruption, insecurity

Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), as well as former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday in Lagos declared that the Federal Government is off the course in the fight against corruption in the country.

Rivers Stae governor, Rotimi Amaechi dissolve Obio/Akpor

They spoke yesterday at the Third Retreat of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

President Goodluck Jonathan, according to them, is not just doing enough to tackle the daily occurence of corrupt practices across the country.

They also deplored the rising level of insecurity in the Northeast, especially against the backdrop of yesterday’s invasion of Maiduguri by Boko Haram insurgents.

The Chairman of the NGF, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, insisted that Nigerians wanted explanation on the alleged missing $20 billion oil money.

He said that effort by anyone to sweep it under the carpet would not work.

Exressing shock at yesterday’s invasion of Maiduuri by Boko Haram insurgents, Amaechi said the state of insecurity in the nation had become worrisome.

He told the Federal Government to wake up to its responsibility and deal with the incessant threat to the nation’s stability by terrorists.

Almakura said: “The issue of insurgency has become a routine in the country. Everyday you wake up to hear that people are slaughtered without any sign that it will abate. Lives are being taken with impunity, nobody is sure of what will happen to him in the next minute.”

Ribadu said that the tendency by the generality of Nigerians to indulge in corrupt practices would be minimised if leaders lived moderate lives.

“Show us how to behave and we will follow you. If we have less private jets,we see you live in moderation, we will follow and copy you, “ the former anti-graft boss said.

He said that corruption was a major threat to development, saying Nigeria would be far better fighting it.

Ribadu advised state governments to put in place mechanisms to check corruption in their respective states.

He described corruption as a deep-rooted malaise which could not be fought by centrally-controlled agencies alone.

He said that the active involvement of the states in the fight against corruption would check leakages and promote development.

“The states can do more and achieve more in the fight against corruption because they control a substantial amount of development resources.

“If they leave the fight to centrally controlled agencies alone, we will not get the desired results.”

On the Maiduguri attack, he said: ”As I am talking to you now, part of Maiduguri is under attack and people are being killed. This is a sad note for our country. I believe security is not what you can restrict to internal mechanism alone. We have reached the level where the country should seek international assistance to end the killings in the country.”

Governor Fayemi said there would always be a problem “when the gap between abject poverty and inexplicable wealth is so wide as you have it now in the country.”

He added: ”Any society that has problem with economy always ends up with insecurity. It is unfortunate that after many people were killed recently, the Federal Government still went ahead to host the centenary celebration.”

Speaking on Building System and Institutions that Prevent Corruption, Governor Fashola said corruption in the country has reached a level where everybody must rise to nip it in the bud.

His words: “People’s social status is incompatible with their income. They host social parties every weekend, feeding about 150 people and spraying money without recourse to the negative effect.

“If you can step on your own sweat, something is fundamentally wrong. There is a leakage somewhere that bankrolls the reckless spending. We reward people for no honour achieved. The police are corrupt because their pension had been looted.”

Governor Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to rise and fight corruption, noting that the dysfunctional effect of corruption is visible in all departments of the country’s national life.

“If we all judiciously make use of the resources at our disposal, there will be less cases of corruption and those factors that induce corruption will be minimal, “ he said.

Also speaking, former Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offenses Commission and Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, stressed the need for the political will to fight corruption. Building system and institutions that prevent corruption, he pointed out, should be given adequate attention.

He said: “When Nuhu Ribadu, former EFCC chairman and I were fighting corruption, we knew it was possible to take anybody to court. But the story is different today. When the former Aviation Minister, Mrs Stella Oduah was accused of corrupt practices, it took government a long time to remove her from office. But in the case of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the President did not waste time to suspend him.”

He maintained that any person who must be a leader or president must be transparent in the discharge of his duties to the people.

Prof. Akin Oyebode of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) said: ”It is an unwarranted assault on the nation’s integrity which needs to be fought to the hilt if Nigeria is to survive. While it continues to threaten our national survival, no effort should be spared to bring it to the heel.

“Nigeria has enough laws and institutions to combat corruption. The architecture of the war against corruption seems adequate even if there might be the need for re-tooling here and there.

“A situation where anti-corruption agencies are denied the wherewithal to sustain the anti-corruption crusade smacks of a calculated attempt to disembowel and incapacitate them.”

Also present at the retreat were Senator Bukola Saraki; Governor Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere; Dep. Governor of Osun State; Grace Laoye-Tomori; Governor Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Governor Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa); Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Moses Adeyemo; Dep. Governor of Ogun State, Segun Adesegun; Prof. Grace Alele Williams; Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Deputy Govenor of Kwara State, Elder Peter Kishira and Governor Abdullazeez Yari (Zamfara).

In a communique at the end of the retreat, the Governors’ Forum said that the anti-corruption battle should be “anchored on a massive programme of national value-reorientation involving the state sector, private sector and civil society.”

According to them, the “debilitating impact of corruption on national development and the adverse human development indices requires a concerted effort to combat corruption in both private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy.”

They added that the fight against corruption “needs strong political will, moral leadership, certainty of sanction and commitment of governors to succeed and pledged to fill the role.”

On security, the governors reiterated their commitment to “pursue cooperation on security management, including sharing of information and placing emphasis on human security needs of our people.”

They called for the reintroduction of teacher training colleges across the country as part of the effort to enhance educational quality and access.

The forum adopted its Strategic Plan for 2014-2016. (0)

Amaechi, Fashola, Ribadu, others tackle FG on corruption, insecurity