₦airaland Forum

Three very serious allegations were made last week by the former Minister of the FCT and former Governor of Kaduna state Mallam Nasir El Rufai.

Firstly that he bugged Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the President’s National Security Advisor’s phone and is privy to his most sensitive conversations, secondly that the National Security Advisor’s office has imported large sums of dangerous chemical weapons into the country for unspecified purposes and thirdly that there is a conspiracy between the NSA and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state, his successor in office, to “destroy him” and “jail him for life”.

I have tried to stay away from the raging debate that followed these comments due to my longstanding friendship and respect for all three parties and their respective families but in view of the latest developments and in the light of these grave allegations I can no longer sit on the sidelines and maintain my silence.

Let me begin by saying that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Governor Uba Sani and my goodself were closer than brothers during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Government and we worked closely as a tag team.

Uba Sani took over my old job as Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs when I was appointed as a Minister, Nasir was my colleague in cabinet and Nuhu headed the EFCC. WE all attended Federal Executive Council meetings and more often than not we were on the same page on most national issues and we presented our cases with candour and vigour without any fear or favour at such cabinet meetings which President Obasanjo graciously allowed us to do.

We were also all very close to President Obasanjo, whom we reverred, and had many private and closed door meetings with him together with a handful of other close associates about how to move his Government and the country forward and how to confront and contain his political enemies and detractors.

We were loyal to a fault, tough, young, hard-working, fearless and filled with zeal and we gave our very best to Obasanjo and his Government in our respective roles.

After we left office we all suffered severe persecution at the hands of President Yar’adua’s administration simply for being “Obasanjo boys” and we literally had to fight for our liberty and lives.

Nuhu and Nasir were compelled to leave Nigeria for fear for their lives whilst Uba and I stayed behind and weathered the very difficult storm.

Those were the most difficult, trying and testing days of our respective lives but thankfully we all pulled through, overcame all the obstacles placed before us and eventually won the day. We came out of it all alive, healthy and well and for that we give thanks to God.

Since those early years much has transpired and there were many realignments sometimes finding us on opposing sides.

Regardless of that, our friendship and strong sense of brotherhood endured and remained intact even if we may have publicly disagreed from time to time.

The latest development in the saga of our respective lives are the comments made by Nasir in his interview with Charles Aniagolu of Arise Television on Friday about both Nuhu and Uba which I believe goes beyond the pale and sadly represents a permanent burning of bridges in terms of our brotherhood and collective friendship.

One of the things he said in that interview is that he bugged the phone of the NSA and to this, and much else, I am constrained to offer the following comments as an old friend and a concerned observer.

Permit me to begin by saying that it is likely that it is the same people that tapped the late Brigadier General Uba’s phone and gave the co-ordinates of his location to the terrorists that led to his execution that bugged the NSA’s phone.

It is likely that it is the same people that have enabled the terrorists to kill, abduct, terrorise and abduct our people and brought misery, suffering, tears and carnage to our land that bugged the NSA’s phone.

It is likely that it is the same people whose footsoldiers are creating havoc and bringing chaos to Niger, Kaduna, Kwara, Borno, Kogi, Katsina and other parts of our nation that bugged the NSA’s phone.

It is likely that it is the same people who wish to destabilise our nation, divide our people along ethnic and religious lines and instigate a violent, unconstitutional and bloody regime change that bugged the NSA’s phone.

These non-state actors, agents of destabilisation and terror-enablers are listening to ALL our conversations including those on WhatsApp.

The truth is that until they are brought to justice for their unconscionable crimes no-one is safe.

Gambia-born Nollywood actress Rosy Meurer has taken to social media to slam critics trolling her following the recent reconciliation between her husband Olakunle Churchill and his ex-wife, actress Tonto Dikeh.

In a series of posts shared on her Instagram story, Meurer stated that it is time for her to control the narrative of people directly messaging her and commenting on her page as the situation is about her life and story.

She stated that she will not live in bondage and be quiet

Meurer said, “You think I will live in bondage and be quiet and die inside? Na love I love, I no kill person, and if (God forbid) circumstances happen that I am no longer comfortable in marriage, I will leave without you fools being the reason behind it.

“You all open your mouths to be telling me why say this or why say that! I should not speak my truth. When you daily pour out trash that you know nothing about on my page, it is okay. But when it’s time for me to tell you the truth, you so wish was otherwise I should keep quiet” she added.

The actress also slammed trolls commenting on her page and debunked rumours that she was ever Tonto Dikeh’s friend or her husband’s former personal assistant.

She said, “You think people are fo*ls. All you idi*ts sit and open your sour mouths commenting on my page day and night about how I stole my friend’s husband or how I was a PA which I wasn’t and you don’t want me to say my truth? I should live with the lies.


“I’ve been on my own since, minding my business and respecting myself but all of you evil witches will come out every eke market day to say shit all the time cuz I chose to be quiet but this is the height of it. If I don’t speak up for myself no one will. Make I dey fear una say wetin happen.” she added.

PUNCH Online earlier reported that Meurer denied being friends with her husband’s ex-wife, actress Tonto Dikeh few weeks after the former couple’s reconciliation which was marked by a public reunion with their son, King Andre.

The 15 senators who voted FOR mandatory real-time transmission clause are:

1) Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central)

2) Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South)

3) Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central)

4) Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South)

5) Ireti Kingibe (ADC, FCT)

6) Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West)

7) Onawo Ogwoshi (ADC, Nasarawa South)

Tony Nwoye (ADC, Anambra North)

9) Victor Umeh (ADC, Anambra Central)

10) Ibrahim Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe Central)

11) Austin Akobundu (PDP, Abia Central)

12) Khalid Mustapha (PDP, Kaduna North)

13) Sikayo Yaro (PDP, Gombe South)

14) Emmanuel Nwachukwu (APGA, Anambra South)

15) Peter Jiya (PDP, Niger South)