Ribadu’s imminent return causes panic in EFCC
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja, Published: Saturday, 3 Apr 2010




Mallam Nuhu Ribadu



Strong indications have emerged that the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is on self-exile in the United States of America, will return to play a role in Acting President Jonathan‘s government.



Saturday Punch investigation revealed on Friday that Ribadu, who was let off the hook by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday, following the Federal Government‘s withdrawal of the non-declaration of asset charge pending against him before the CCT, was being considered to be Jonathan‘s Special Adviser on Anti-Corruption.



This is contrary to earlier widespread rumour in the Presidency that Ribadu was being considered for a ministerial position.



It was gathered that the Acting President may have made up his mind to appoint Ribadu into the position to oversee the anti-corruption agencies, including the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offencies Commission.



Jonathan had promised in a speech broadcast live on radio and television after the National Assembly passed resolutions on February 9 empowering him as the Acting President that renewal of the anti-corruption war would top his agenda.



It was, however, gathered that the decision to make Ribadu, a long time ally of Jonathan, the leader of the anti-corruption campaign is causing serious panic in the EFCC.



If Ribadu assumes office as the SA on Anti-Corruption, he would be strategically positioned to exercise control over the EFCC and ICPC. By this, chairmen of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri; and the ICPC, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd); would be taking instructions from his office.



”This would signify a highly probable change of guard in the EFCC,” a source told our correspondent on Friday.



The Federal Government on Wednesday withdrew the single charge against Ribadu pending at the CCT, thus confirming weeks of strong speculations that the period of ostracising and hounding the former EFCC boss was nearing an end.



The Special Assistant to the immediate past Attorney General and Minister of Justice on Litigation, Dr. J.O. Olatoke, entered a Nolle Prosequi for the suit on behalf of the FG.



Ribadu was demoted from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police on August 5, 2008 to Deputy Commissioner of Police, with the Police Service Commission saying that his earlier promotion did not follow due process as it was not approved by the PSC.



On December 23, 2008, the former EFCC boss was finally dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.



Contacted on the telephone on Friday, Ribadu sounded happy with the decision of the FG to withdraw the case against him.



He, however, declined to comment on the speculation that Acting President Jonathan was considering him for appointment, saying that he had not been informed by the Presidency.



”I can tell you that I have not been informed. I don‘t know anything about it. The Presidency has not informed me about such a position,” Ribadu said.



Asked about his possible return date now that the FG has withdrawn the charge against him, Ribadu said, ”I don‘t want to talk about when I am coming back home. I want to be quiet about it.”



But an authoritative source close to him said it was most likely that Ribadu would be appointed to supervise the anti-corruption agencies.



The source dismissed claims that Ribadu planned to return to Nigeria this weekend, stressing that he had a few things to tidy up before returning home. The source further added that Ribadu would not return to the country before next Thursday when the case against him at the CCT would be finally ended.



”Haba! Sunday is too early. Even the matter at the Code of Conduct Tribunal will be coming up for hearing next Thursday. He won‘t be here until the case is resolved. He has a few things to tidy up,” the source added.



Spokesman of the EFCC, Mr Femi Babafemi, however, said there was no panic in the anti-graft agency over Ribadu’s imminent return. “I am not aware of any panic. There is no panic whatsoever. Anything to the contrary is a baseless hype,” he said


Source: http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004033111975

Jonathan is repayn ribadu 4 dropping d money laundering charges agains his wife when he was still governor of bayelsa state.

Let them panic,

Ribadu - Do your thing, tread on some toes and break some ankles.

Expose the crooks of Nigeria (Politicians)

Roll the dice!

roll the dice?
66666.

We need him bak.

He is welcome, God had just vindicated the young man.

Ribadu for vice president.

This is one of my easter good packages! I love it.

Some of the wickedness exibited in the name of Yar'adua has the capacity to make even a healthy man terminally ill.

The truth was stood on its head and its a shame that it took Yar'adua being in coma for truth to prevail again.

Let us all learn from the life and times of Umar Yar'adua

Let him come back 1st and let us see what Jonathan has in mind to do with him before all this 'jubilation' and speculations.

The guy said he has not been contacted by anyone in Goverment.

Comeback KID

The return of Ribadu
By Elor Nkereuwem


April 4, 2010 12:52AM
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Nuhu Ribadu, the former chief of Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has accepted an offer from Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, to be his special adviser on anti-corruption, good governance and sundry matters.

Presidency sources said at the weekend that Mr. Ribadu is expected to resume "in a matter of weeks" in Abuja. As part of his remit, Mr. Ribadu will be the presidential anchorman supervising the broad anti-corruption platform of the country which includes his former agency, the EFCC; the ICPC; the Code of Conduct Bureau and other related agencies.

He's back

Mr. Ribadu confirmed this in a telephone interview with NEXT at the weekend.

"Frankly I don't want to be drawn into any political discussion," he said. "But let me say it is true that I have been contacted. I also think it is only honest to say that Acting President Jonathan appears to have a keen understanding of the cogent priorities facing our nation which is currently teetering on the brink of disaster. It is probably right to also say he is taking the right steps on those critical priorities. For this reason, I believe it is the moral duty of Nigerians to support all efforts to save our country."

Mr. Ribadu is, at the moment, winding up a plum fellowship at the Centre for Global Development (CGD), a think tank in Washington D.C. dedicated to international issues of development. During his fellowship at the CGD, he was the lead person for the centre on anti-corruption, institutional reform, and African law enforcement policy. During this same period, he undertook special missions to advise many African countries who were just setting up anti-corruption and financial intelligence agencies.

Among the notable institutions that he consulted for were the World Bank and the United Nations (UN).

Mr. Ribadu also consulted for a host of western authorities including the United States government and the European Union (EU).

Presidency sources in Abuja said they expect Mr. Ribadu to meet with Mr. Jonathan, who will be visiting Washington at the invitation of the US president, Barack Obama, next week.

Ribadu's troubles

The former anti-corruption czar, for the past two years, had been in a running battle with the Umaru Yar'Adua led government, culminating in Mr. Ribadu's exile and the decision to take up fellowship offers, first at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and then CDG in the US.

Last year, Mr. Ribadu admitted the decision to leave Nigeria was for self preservation. "I had to leave the country on January 3 this year (2009) after a relentless persecution which climaxed in two assassination attempts," he said in November.

At the height of his troubles with Nigeria's ailing president, Umaru Yar'Adua, who has not been seen since he took an emergency medical vacation five months ago, the former EFCC boss was dramatically charged to court with the alleged failure to properly declare his assets during his tenure as the EFCC chairman.

Mr. Ribadu was said to have failed to produce an asset declaration form, which is a crime for all senior public officers who do not do so, according to the Nigerian constitution. The Fifth Schedule of the 1999 constitution mandates all public office holders to declare all their assets.

Mr. Ribadu however consistently refutes the charges and said that he had not defaulted in the asset declaration procedure. According to him, his asset declaration forms were "submitted on assumption of office in March 2003 and (on) my exit from office in December 2008. I assert that there is no substance to this case; that my assets were (not) declared. How could I have been confirmed for my position in 2003 if I did not submit an asset declaration form to the Senate, as all officers needing senate confirmation are obligated to do?"

Insisting that the forms are in the safe custody of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr. Ribadu further urged the Code of Conduct Tribunal to call for the documents. "Is it also not in the power of the Tribunal to simply order the Code of Conduct Bureau to produce certified true copies of my asset declaration if this is what truly concerns the Tribunal?" he asked.

In the clear

Last week however, the federal government indicated its desire to withdraw its case against Mr. Ribadu at the Code of Conduct Tribunal last week, admitting that it had no case against the former EFCC boss.

Mr. Ribadu's fight with the government is seen to have come to an end as the former anti-graft boss prepares to return home after months of exile abroad.

The former anti-corruption czar is looking forward to it. "It is important for us to know that the nation has lost a huge ground in the past two years (and) it would take the collective effort of all patriotic Nigerians to work for the restoration of their country. I certainly look forward to coming back soon," Mr. Ribadu said.


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