VANGUARD - SUNDAY 21 DEC. 2008

Kaduna—FORMER minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has told the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to expect him to honour its invitation until the compeletion of  his study in the United Kingdom (UK).

El-Rufai  also says  the EFCC has no power whatsoever to declare  him wanted.

Speaking in an interview on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) monitored in Kaduna,  the former minister wondered why the EFCC was after him, having served his fatherland meritoriously. He expressed fears that his travel  documents would be  seized if he came home now, thus jeoparising his study in the UK. 

“I am a student; I cannot leave my studies to come to Nigeria to answer questions from anybody because I am not a government employee, “he said, adding. “My lawyer has written them to tell them that I am a student and I would not be able to come to Nigeria and that if they have questions, they should forward such questions to him in writing for onward delivery to me to answer them and send it back to them.

“But that is not what they want, their plan is that once I step into Nigeria , they will seize my passport to prevent me from going back to complete my studies, they have realized that what they can do, to provoke me is to stop me from completing my studies.

“I will not go to Nigeria for my passport to be seized to stop me from completing my studies, I will not go, I know many of my friends who were prevented from traveling.

“The EFCC said they will tell the Interpol to declare me wanted, let them declare me wanted; I will not go to Nigeria . If they say the Interpol should look for me, they know where I am, everybody knows where I am, the EFCC knows where I am, they know I am in school, my lawyer has written to them. We have even taken them to court because the investigation they are carrying out, the law establishing the EFCC does not permit it.

“We went to court for the court to ask whether the EFCC has the right to investigate the allocation of land by a state governor or his reason for allocating a piece of land to anybody. 

“The present government is our friend; they are our brothers, when we were in government, we did everything possible to ensure that competent people were appointed in government. We supported the president Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

“I have no doubt about my records when I was in government, but of course we are human and we are bound to make mistakes. Beside, I was not working alone; I was working with many people who I am not in a position to know some of the things they were doing, just like the present minister of the FCT and the president who are not in a position to know a lot of things being done by the people working under them.”

what kind of madness are we experiencing in the hands of our ex-office holders. why is it that self acclaimed messiahs of our country nigeria will always run away from questions as soon as they leave office?

chidichris:


what kind of madness are we experiencing in the hands of our ex-office holders. why is it that self acclaimed messiahs of our country nigeria will always run away from questions as soon as they leave office?

What madness do you identify here ?This same man was called on a public hearing by the Senate,he is in the UK facing his study and have honestly appointed an attorney to represent his interest with the EFCC.Do you expect him to abandon his study for a visit to EFCC ?Get serious brother.
Nigeria is only scaring away the patriotic minded from serving their father land.

This el-rufai guy is a crook,
there's a balance of N32bn naira from the sale of govt houses that he has not accounted for,and so many other things,

What madness do you identify here ?This same man was called on a public hearing by the Senate,he is in the UK facing his study and have honestly appointed an attorney to represent his interest with the EFCC.Do you expect him to abandon his study for a visit to EFCC ?Get serious brother.
Nigeria is only scaring away the patriotic minded from serving their father land.

brownbonno,
the key word in your statement is patrotic minded, ribadu once in a press confrence that he will fight corruption with the last drop of his blood but as soon as he was relieved of the chairman of efcc, he became rebelious.
el-rufai we all know that he mearnt no good to nigeria and nigerians. you made mentioned of him attending public hearing, could you pls say the out come. do you still remember that it was in the course of that public hearing that a member of that committee said that with the revelations so far, that he was begining to feel abacha was a saint.
do you still remember that this same patrotic minded el-rufai was banned from holding any public office for life as a result the recomendations of the senate panel.
the issue is that you served and u are wanted and since when has studying become a reason for not honouring such invitation?
by the way, why won't the govt make our educational system to be standard so that they will be schooling here and attending to issues like this.
i am putting it to you that those you call patrotic minded people and the criminal minded idots of our country and they are the reason for position as a country and well as the reasons for the sufferings of our people.
why are we shattered all over the world?
who do you think is responsible for the backwardness of nigeria?
the patrotic minded man shared govt lands and recieved govt lands from governors.
even if he gets away with this, he will not get away from the wraths of God because nigerians and the poor masses have been crying to God.

chidichris,

I appreciate your response.When i mean patriotic minded,i was not specific to El-Rufai but to other well meaning Nigerian with good heart to help the nation grow.
Firstly,The chairman and other members of the hearing committee have personal interest in the case because their own properties that where seized/demolished.Since you cannot be a judge in your own case,i can imagine what recommendation we should expect from such a committee.
Secondly,non of Nigeria public office holders are saints and we should be able to separate the sheep from the goats.The performance of some of the OBJ key officers in his administration will ever remain in the GOOD history book of Nigeria.
Nigeria can only be better if corruption is handled in a more drastic way,although Ribadu is not perfect but his efforts as EFCC man is worth emulating.The Mrs Waziri of EFCC is not ready yet to fight corruption and must start with herself before inviting another person(s) for interrogation.Did you care to ready about Former Gov Igbinedion plea judgement.He will only pay about N3.5m and a property in GRA Benin city,when there are clear evidence that he stole more than N4b from Edo state people.
Why has the EFCC not gone back and ask James Ibori why he did not declare his criminal past in the UK when contesting for the Governorship position?Legally,that will mean he was not qualify to contest in the first place.Did the Police do and background check ?So tell me who is the scapegoat ?

Some people just dont think b4 they make posts, he has rights to a representative, and that is what he has done - appointed his attorney - so what they heck is the saying that he is on the run?

diasporian,
he has a right to representation and all of are surposed to be equal before the law so who among us does not have right to representation.
when efcc arrested and persecuted alams, did he have right to representation? when kalu and others where arrested and kept in costudy, did they have right to representation or were they unable to buy the services of a lawyer?
why didn't charles taylor send a lawyer to hague when he was called upon for questioning?
since when has it became a legal practice for people wanted in criminal matters have right to send representatives while they stay away? the bigest problem nigeria has is bias and sentiments when it comes to matters concerning our top rulers.
Brownbonno,
a clear conscience we all know fears no accusation. till when will our ex-official stop shying away from the people they have ruled?
don't you see president clinton? he will appear on tv shows and people will be asking him direct questions. he will always appologise on any issue he saw himself acted wrong.
as soon as i read the issue of obj's key officers in the good history book, such names as Tonny annenih-bot - pdp, bode george - npa, adedibu-a worthy thug, andy uba -personal assistant, el-rufai-fct, ribadu-efcc, borishade-education/aviation ministry etc. if you have such names too, i am sorry i do not see them in the good books.
if we are realistic here, kalu, alams and one other gov where among the few govs who felt the heat of ribadu and as i am writting, some of the govs are ministers in nigeria while yar adua and jonathan goodluck are president and vice respectively so tell me the basis for screening some govs and praising some.
if ribadu was that messiah that we were praying for, what happened to the case of tafa balogun? what about marwa who was later made an ambassadore?
if nigeria will fight corruption, selective justice must not be replayed as it was during ribadu's time. if we have accepted that obj and ribadu fought corruption, tell me in earnest if corruption in nigeria was on the high or low during the eight years of obj. from the nature of our roads, security, power and energy and other basic issues in nigeria have revealed that with the amount of funds lost on contracts, corruption was on the high.
for you information, bring out any name among the above mentioned key officer and i will let you know more about him and back that up with facts.

Why I Won’t Honour Efcc’s Invitation Now?
because ribadu hasn't done so either

this is just the beginning, many more will follow

The poor guy wont honor EFCC's invite, cos his life might be in danger

If creativity or Muza, start a topic like this you simply know the objective

The problem with chidicris is that he has no objective. Just criticise for the sake of criticising

Chidicris I really like to know what you stand for and what your proposed solutions are to Nigeria's problem

Do you also think any right thinking person should hope to get justice in the hands of the trio of Aondoakaa-Okiro-Waziri

You type like a kid at times!!!!

cre8tivity:

Why I Won’t Honour Efcc’s Invitation Now?
because ribadu hasn't done so either

now look at wat Ribadu has caused,
now everyone will stop honoring EFCC initations.

brownbonno:

chidichris,

I appreciate your response.When i mean patriotic minded,i was not specific to El-Rufai but to other well meaning Nigerian with good heart to help the nation grow.
Firstly,The chairman and other members of the hearing committee have personal interest in the case because their own properties that where seized/demolished.Since you cannot be a judge in your own case,i can imagine what recommendation we should expect from such a committee.
Secondly,non of Nigeria public office holders are saints and we should be able to separate the sheep from the goats.The performance of some of the OBJ key officers in his administration will ever remain in the GOOD history book of Nigeria.
Nigeria can only be better if corruption is handled in a more drastic way,although Ribadu is not perfect but his efforts as EFCC man is worth emulating.The Mrs Waziri of EFCC is not ready yet to fight corruption and must start with herself before inviting another person(s) for interrogation.Did you care to ready about Former Gov Igbinedion plea judgement.He will only pay about N3.5m and a property in GRA Benin city,when there are clear evidence that he stole more than N4b from Edo state people.
Why has the EFCC not gone back and ask James Ibori why he did not declare his criminal past in the UK when contesting for the Governorship position?Legally,that will mean he was not qualify to contest in the first place.Did the Police do and background check ?So tell me who is the scapegoat ?

what has all that got to do with waziri? was she the judge in igbinedion's case? was waziri there in 1999 to nstop ibori? if ibori had a criminal past that is under the purview of the police and not EFCC

In my opinion, El Rufai has something to hide. An innocent man will always try to clear his name, all these posturing on pages of newspapers do not serve him well.

texazzpete:

In my opinion, El Rufai has something to hide. An innocent man will always try to clear his name, all these posturing on pages of newspapers do not serve him well.

He was asked a very simple question (well simple from my own point of view),

Where is the balance of N32bn from the sale of govt. houses?

Instead of answering the question the guy started his media war.

Guyz lets be rational and not sentimental by defending el-rufai,
If he didnt steal the N32bn,why cant he give explanations of the whereabouts of the money.

Nigeria is a failed state; why does a simple issue has to become a major one; If the EFCC has any evidence of wrong doing after concluding investigations of any allegations; they should just issue a writ to have the guy arrested, they same thing they should have done with Ribadu; if they had evidence on him; they should have just walked into NIPSS and effected arrest; Only recently a sitting gov in chicago was arrested , Only in nigeria do we invite people supposedly thiefs to come and explain what happen to a missing amount, When will we start doing things the right way; carry out ur investigation first; once that is concluded u know where they guy is effect arrest and promptly charge him court , it just so simple than what is obtained , accused and accuser fighting a press war, shame shame shame

currently in Naija you only have nothing to hide if you have given the AGF money or you have not held public office before

Mike Aondoakaa can change FCT records, get his allied newspapers (Independent, Sun, Tribune and Lately Vanguard) to pour mudsling on El-Rufai, use EFCC and police to arrest him, get Justices Katsina-Alu / Ogebe or other allied judges to convict him, and get the President of Federal republic of Nigeria to ban El-Rufai from future public office.

That is how monolithic our justice system has become under Aondoakaa, that is how bananna our Republic has become.

So for El-Rufai to jump from london back home because he wants to defend himself is just naivette.

this is what happens when you allow your rules an regulations to be disobeyed. this is what happens when we praise a soldier that goes to war to fight for the country,  but returns to disobey the law. mark it down, this is just the starting point, many others will follow. el-rufai should be treated like a deadly criminal. this is the only way this mess would stop.

Creativity

Someone just posted on Dapo Adesina's thread, abeg go reply and leave serious issues here for serious minded folks not after political left overs (Nothing personal, just expressing it the way i feel it)

We all know that this EFCC is corrupt,but why are people running away from its invitations if they are clean.
You guyz said that everyone that Ribadu went after is corrupt.So also anyone that this EFCC is going after.
Why didn't they go after Buhari.

Corrupt people are just blackmailing the EFCC, accusing it of witch hunt.
Its not possible for the EFCC to arrest and prosecute and innocent person.

Because Nuhu did it,now its elrufai,then when someone is summoned again,he will accuse EFCC of witch hunt.
_Hiss useless corrupt people kawai,u cant be in the corridors of power forever.

if the guy no do nothin make im go answer case na, shooo

the same way MKO did nothing and folishly went to answer the case.

yemmyse:

the same way MKO did nothing and folishly went to answer the case.

don't be ignorant thats military

Muza

Really, I havent noticed the difference

there isnt much diff,but they just cant catch an innocent person,on what charge?

If creativity or Muza, start a topic like this you simply know the objective

The problem with chidicris is that he has no objective. Just criticise for the sake of criticising

Chidicris I really like to know what you stand for and what your proposed solutions are to Nigeria's problem

Do you also think any right thinking person should hope to get justice in the hands of the trio of Aondoakaa-Okiro-Waziri

You type like a kid at times!!!!

mikeansy,
i will overlook your insults and face your questions.
my solution to nigeria's problem as you have asked will depend on which problem.
if you talk about political problems, i will suggest checks and balances as well as the rule of law which is the pivot on which democracy rotates.
on the issue of getting justice in the hands of Aondoakaa-okiro-waziri, am sorry obj made it a winner takes all and that will not stop with that administration.
you and i like everyother nigeria know too well that Ribadu and el-rufai were not different from Mustapha under abacha, how you may ask? they are all bold and intelligent and they all do things they way they consider it right not minding what the constitution has to say.
waziri's efcc do invite people while ribadu efcc will forcefully pick people and that in most cases resulted to shotouts in cases of resistance and that happened in platue and aba for reference purposes.
atiku was in pdp manipulating things with obj from 1999 until obj manipulated him. t was only then that he turned to nigerians and say, he is not a good president and the same thing happened to obj when atiku said he wanted to be president and he decided o use ribadu to tell nigerians that his long time partner was a crook.
ribadu and el-rufai acted well and the new adminnistration is acting well too. did mustapha not pay the same prize? what about the bamyis? they paid the price.
do u think nigerians are blind to the truths?
the bible says, those wo live by sword will die by sword. an ordinary okada man will have questions for the two if he has his way.
a serving gov in the us is facing the police as we write so tell him if know him to come back and tell us how he ruled and gathered all these wealth that he has decided to relocate now.
anyways, he has been decleared wanted by efcc so let watch him.

for all OBJ sins

Judiciary and Media was operating freely. OBJ lost cases in court, Media blast am fully

But right now there is no justice because Aondoakaa dey pre-determine every case he is interested in. If you report against Government, SSS go visit you.
This Government dey even arrest bloggers.

So El-Rufai has no business going to visit EFCC, because there is no need to have faith in the justice system.

i'm waiting for the day i'll hear something good about nigeria

chidichris:

mikeansy,
i will overlook your insults and face your questions.
my solution to nigeria's problem as you have asked will depend on which problem.
if you talk about political problems, i will suggest checks and balances as well as the rule of law which is the pivot on which democracy rotates.
on the issue of getting justice in the hands of Aondoakaa-okiro-waziri, am sorry obj made it a winner takes all and that will not stop with that administration.
you and i like everyother nigeria know too well that Ribadu and el-rufai were not different from Mustapha under abacha, how you may ask? they are all bold and intelligent and they all do things they way they consider it right not minding what the constitution has to say.
waziri's efcc do invite people while ribadu efcc will forcefully pick people and that in most cases resulted to shotouts in cases of resistance and that happened in platue and aba for reference purposes.
atiku was in pdp manipulating things with obj from 1999 until obj manipulated him. t was only then that he turned to nigerians and say, he is not a good president and the same thing happened to obj when atiku said he wanted to be president and he decided o use ribadu to tell nigerians that his long time partner was a crook.
ribadu and el-rufai acted well and the new adminnistration is acting well too. did mustapha not pay the same prize? what about the bamyis? they paid the price.
do u think nigerians are blind to the truths?
the bible says, those wo live by sword will die by sword. an ordinary okada man will have questions for the two if he has his way.
a serving gov in the us is facing the police as we write so tell him if know him to come back and tell us how he ruled and gathered all these wealth that he has decided to relocate now.
anyways, he has been decleared wanted by efcc so let watch him.

Another rabble rousing without any clear objective

You want rule of law, then you endorse Aondoakaa disregard for justice because u think someone else was unjust.

Look for something esle to discuss, you have no understanding of politics

If am ElRufai

Iceland straight

chidichris:

waziri's efcc do invite people while ribadu efcc will forcefully pick people and that in most cases resulted to shotouts in cases of resistance and that happened in platue and aba for reference purposes.

Herein lies the problem; Inviting People; For those that purport equality of all men before the law; do robbers get the same invitation; does the ordinary nigerian get these same treatment --NO.
So why not the EFCC conclude their investigation then if there's evidence of culpability the effect arrest, that is the solution, instead of hearing that Mr A or B has been invited by EFCC. Why wasnt the Gov of chicago invited by the FBI., he was arrested, thats what happens to people found to be culpable and charged to court, Enough of the foolishness, the way i see it based on invitation any individual can decline an invitation but when a warrant is issued for arrested it becomes a different issue, EFCC should get serious instead of chatting crap

i think our main problem in nigeria is not exactly knowing what we want. just in case you did not know, the beginning of improvement and prosperity is obeying the rules and regulation by everybody. it could be a small business or a large corporation, if the established rules are not obeyed, nothing will go well. it seems to me that many of us here do not clearly understand the importance of obeying the law of the land, regardless of the matter. it is senseless to abandon the rules and regulations just because we disagree with less than 5% of the population. anybody that supports ribadu or his friend, el-rufai is an enemy of progress. there are tons of other ways to show your support and love for these individuals, condoning their stupidity is not one.