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Nuhu Ribadu: Anti-corruption czar or Obasanjo’s weapon?
By Babayola Toungo

I had the misfortune of watching the NTA network news of September 28, 2003, the day the PDP held its 33rd NEC meeting. Misfortune I say, because as matter of principle, I don’t watch the half truths the television network dishes out daily as news to its phantom 30 million viewers. But this day, I was at an elder brother’s house and it happens he was one of the ’30 million viewers of NTA network news.

Watching President Olusegun Obasanjo address the gathering of the party’s “big wigs” (or nit-wits) made me want to puke. The audacity with which he looked Nigerians in the eye and contradicted Nuhu Ribadu’s submission to the Senate the previous day took away my breath literally. It is now apparent that Obasanjo doesn’t have an iota of respect for Nigerians, else how do you situate his dismissal with a wave of his callous hand, the weighty allegations levelled against the governors by the Chairman of EFCC as “spurious”.

I thought it was the same “spurious” EFCC that investigated and presented a report to the presidency which Obasanjo is using to nail his deputy for corruption. Was the same EFCC that went through the Marine Float and MOFAS accounts with a toothbrush?

Watching Nuhu Ribadu’s presentation to the Senate, one could see the zeal oozing out of the anti-corruption czar. The anger in him was so thick you could feel it in the atmosphere or even slice it with a knife. His anger was understandable because of the sleaze that was uncovered by his men in the course of their investigations into the financial affairs of the states and local government councils. Cases of outright theft, embezzlement, diversion of funds and many other serious cases of financial misdemeanours with facts and figures were uncovered, documented and presented to the upper legislative house. Painstaking investigative police and detective work went into the unearthing of the said sordid details and deals of our governors, who always prefer investing in foreign countries to the detriment of their land. People who take pride in buying up real estate in Europe, the Americas and the latest vogue – South Africa. Houses that they may never live in. All pertinent details were supplied by the EFCC and according to the chairman, investigations have been completed in about 15 states and the agency could go to court in about 2 weeks time.

And now, Obasanjo is telling us that all that EFCC submitted is ‘not completely true.’ It was Ribadu that supplied the hammer that Obasanjo used in nailing Atiku’s skin to the wall, though in all honesty, Atiku is giving as much as he is taking. But the impudence of Obasanjo in trying to stand the truth on its head is absurd, to say the least. I think Obasanjo is beginning to believe that all Nigerians are gullible and susceptible to double standards. As is usual with Obasanjo, in his haste to nail everyone else, he forgot he still needed some favours from the governors and therefore, may be an easy target for blackmail by them. When Nuhu Ribadu released his report to the Senate, it was fortuitous for the governors as they were to meet in Abuja with the president for the Council of States meeting. So they bullied the bully to publicly disown Ribadu and his report or else, they will withhold their support for him in his battle with Atiku. The bully, had to succumb to this cheap blackmail and Ribadu was made the fall guy with his reputation on the line. Now, he is being made to eat the humble pie publicly by the president

I think I might have given Ribadu more credit for intelligence than he deserved if after the NPA/ Bode George fiasco, he still believes Obasanjo is interested in fighting corruption. Ribadu was in Nigeria when Obasanjo entered a nolle prosequi on the very day judgement was to be delivered in a case where his cousin – Makanjoula was accused of theft; he was in this country when Obaseki thumbed his nose at us and literally asked Nigerians to go to hell when he, alongside Obasanjo destroyed the oil sector and turned it into a personal business. Ribadu is living in Abuja with the likes of Tony Anenih and Chris Uba who wine and dine with Obasanjo despite allegations of corruption against them. Moral burden? The PDP is our moral burden. Nigerians are asking about Obasanjo’s N8million eye glasses. What answers do we get? Insults and threats.

Nigerians have been treated to a circus show in the past three weeks between Team Obasanjo and Team Atiku. But when Team Atiku appears set to coast home to victory, Obasanjo caused the arrest of Team Atiku’s anchorman. We are all by now aware that both Atiku and Obasanjo are the people without conscience and they could both lie through their teeth without shame or remorse. But of the two, I think I prefer to go with Atiku because he isn’t given to saying much – at least he is economical with his words so will hardly ever tell us lies. But Obasanjo – ah, ah. At the said meeting of the PDP NEC, he was talking about zero tolerance of corruption, yet they were shoulder to shoulder with the indicted governors and the likes of Chris Uba. The same body suspended Atiku for three months for corruption and corrupt practices. Well, it is Atiku’s fault for showing Obasanjo how these political manoeuvrings are done. Remember 2003 elections?

I have always thought Atiku to be the crooked one of the presidential pair. I was of the mistaken belief that Atiku was the armed robber and Obasanjo the pick-pocket. Now I know better. So I am using this medium to apologise to Atiku for mistaking him to be his boss’s alter ego. Going by the spate of revelations sparked-off by the failed third term ambition, Atiku should be regarded a saint compared to Obasanjo. But in this whole “na you, na me” drama, the one that came out with garlands round his neck is Mallam Garba Shehu, Atiku’s spokesman. I hope by his performance, the embattled Vice President will now realise the place of intellectuals in governance and politics. When the chips were down, the court jesters and political janjaweeds that surround the VP melted into thin air and left the battlefield for the likes of Garba Shehu and Dr. Akande. If for nothing else, I believe the vice president has learnt some lessons the hard way.
Toungo wrote in from Ungwar Sarki, Kaduna State.
http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/Nuh...s%20weapon.htm

MrOneNaija, Nuhu Ribadu is many of the things you have stated and more and we must not overlook the positive things he has done. You have acknowledged his role in tackling and reducing the 419 menace but he also gave us all hope with the zeal that he confronted executive/political sleaze. As with a lot of our things, the shine has been taken off his achievements by the evident slant in his pursuits and his penchant for abusing the rights of the accused.

I recall in the days of Buhari, when a similar feeling of disgust against errant corrupt politicians transformed into sympathy for the same politicians when it became apparent that their rights were being trampled on. Babangida actually claimed his overthrow of Buhari was for the restitution of human rights and he was welcomed with open arms.

Whereas Nuhu's campaign against corrupt public officers is welcome because we have all been scandalised by the antics of some of our politicians, executives and legislators alike. We are more scandalised by the trampling on the provisions of the most important document in our polity by those who swore to uphold and defend it. This is why Obasanjo will get what is coming to him and there is sufficient precedence to show that "following orders" will not exonerate the head "tom tom macoute" from culpability for his role in the abuses that have become so prevalent in our times.

Finally, it is rather infantile for anyone to suggest that because a person holds a contrary view to him, that the view must be "sponsored". Infact it goes to show the mindset of the accuser and suggests that his views are held on the back of the type of "sponsorship" he alludes to. It is a free world and everyone must be allowed their point of view without immature responses or taunts.

@ Bunch 17
We've been here before. Let's give credit where it is due. We are all agreed that some of these politicians deserve to be in jail but so do Nuhu and his boss too. Things have to be done properly though, if we crave a society of laws and invite others to treat us with respect. Once upon a time, it was all "due process, due process" as the mantra for this government. There was even a Madam Due Process but it seems due process only applies when it is politically expedient and it clearly has not stopped corruption emanating from the Presidency where the Due Process office is situated. So regardless of what their PR say, it is business as usual in the abuse of the rights of citizens just like the soldiers did. Nigerians did not fight a sit tight dictator to end up with an ungrateful sit tight dictator in his stead. Tufiakwa, as they say.

That Plateau display is just another example of the contempt that these people have for our laws. They will not get away with it. That much you can be sure of. They think that they got away with lawlessness in Bayelsa and Oyo not knowing that there is posterity to contend with. Obasanjo can dream all he likes of extending his stay but he will be lucky to remain till May 2007. An extension is well out of the question regardless of the circumstances. Now, the pro TTA Senators have warned their "father of modern corruption" not to dare come to the Victor Ndoma-Egba Panel because they know what is waiting for him there. All we can say to him is, you can run but you cannot hide. He failed to remember that those who live in glass houses must not throw stones. The genie is out of the bottle and it is too late to call a halt. My people say mai-ido daya ba ya yin kanne meaning a person with only one eye cannot close one eye and wink. As for Nuhu, I hope he is enjoying his moment in the limelight. The same fate as befell Major Al-Mustapha awaits him and since he says he is fearless, we will not waste any tears on him.

Aluta!

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