₦airaland Forum

Eminent Nigerians today in a press statement asked Umaru Yar’Adua to “immediately and unconditionally hand over to the Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to complete the current term of office.” As Acting President, said the 55 signatories who emanate from all over Nigeria, Jonathan should then conduct the next general elections on the basis of the report of the electoral reform committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.

In the statement, which was made public only a short while ago, the concerned Nigerians offered Yar’Adua the option of resigning his office immediately, arguing that his poor health “has created a dangerous situation whereby no one is in charge of the affairs of the State contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.”

On the other hand, they said that if Yar’Adua is confident of his current health, he should “request the Federal Executive Council to pass a resolution pursuant to Section 144 (1) of the Constitution to the effect that the President appears incapable of discharging the functions of his office.”

They said such an “honorable step” would enable the Senate President to appoint a Medical Panel to confirm the fitness or otherwise of Yar’Adua to continue in office.”

Sympathizing with Yar’Adua’s condition, the signatories said his health should be given priority attention, but stressed that the need to provide effective governance for this nation of over 150 million people cannot be compromised.

The call for Yar’adua to step down came as the Nigerian senate defeated a motion asking it to 
“pray” for him; thereafter the Senate went on “recess” with plans to resume on December 10 2009.

Below is the text of the press statement:

PRESIDENT YA'ADUA'S HEALTH CONDITION AND THE STATE OF THE NATION
It is clear to every discerning observer that President Umaru Yar'Adua's physical condition has had a negative impact on his ability to discharge the functions of the highest office in our nation. Within the last few months, he has been unable to attend to crucial affairs of the State at home and abroad and whenever he has found time to do so, his judgment appears impaired by his ill-health.

A few examples may suffice:

i. His health condition has necessitated several medical trips abroad but he has not transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office as required by Section 145 of the Constitution.

ii. President Yar'adua though invited was unable to attend the United nations General Assembly for which a private audience had been arranged between him and President Obama for high level discussions of issues mutually beneficial to Nigeria and the United States because he was in Saudi Arabia to 'open a university' which was a dummy sold to cover up his treatments.

iii. It is also common knowledge that the incapacity of the president has affected the implementation of the nation’s budget because he has been unable to coordinate the management of the national economy and to preside over the Federal Executive Council in a diligent manner.

iv. In the circumstance, Ministers have routinely flouted the orders of the President and engaged in infighting as a direct result in the vacuum of leadership. This was recently embarrassingly exposed to the world with the series of conflicting public statements credited to the Attorney General and the Chair person of the EFCC. This was also exposed further when the president disavowed knowledge of a memo to all foreign missions purportedly on his instructions. Furthermore, till date, ministers continue to flout the public instruction of the president that ministers who presented memos at the FEC should stay behind to brief the media.

v. You may also recall that a battery of doctors complete with their paraphernalia escorted the president to the National Assembly last year to stand by as he delivered the budget and you may also recall that some pundits have revealed that the crisis between the Senate and the house on who should host the budget delivery by the president was contrived to provide an escape for the president who was reportedly physically unable to perform this formal task.

vi. Finally, the current condition of the president has created a dangerous situation whereby no one is in charge of the affairs of the State contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

As responsible and concerned individuals from every part of Nigeria, we call on President Umaru Yar'Adua to immediately choose the honorable option of either:

(a) resigning his office immediately, or

(b) If he is confident of his true physical condition, request the Federal Executive Council to pass a resolution pursuant to Section 144 (1) of the Constitution to the effect that the President appears incapable of discharging the functions of his office. This honorable step will enable the Senate President to appoint a Medical Panel to confirm the fitness or otherwise of the President to continue in office.

As President Yar'Adua's compatriots and part of his larger Nigerian family, we sympathize with him and believe that his health should be given priority attention. At the same time, the need to provide effective governance for this nation of over 150 million people cannot be compromised. Indeed, the Constitution has rightly envisaged the situation in which the country has found itself.

In any event, we are of the view that the President should immediately and unconditionally hand over to the Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to complete the current term of office, and conduct the next general elections on the basis of the report of the electoral reform committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.

Signed:

(1) Alhaji Balarabe Musa
(2) Chief Olu Falae
(3) Senator Ken Nnamani
(4) Alhaji Aminu Masari
(5) Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (Rtd)
(6) Chief John Odigie Oyegun
(7) Dr. Tunji Braithwaite
( Col. Abubakar Umaru (Rtd)
(9) Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN)
(10) Alhaji Buba Galadima
(11) Hon. Olawale Oshun
(12) Dr. Usman Bugaje
(13) Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri
(14) Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai
(15) Mr. Femi Falana
(16) Mr. Yinka Odumakin
(17) Alhaji Sadiq Yar’Adua
(18) Hon. Adamu Farouk Aliyu
(19) Chief Jos Ayomike
(20) Hajia Naja’atu Muhammeed
(21) Dr (Mrs) Joe Okei-Odumakin
(22) Ms. Annkio Briggs
(23) Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose
(24) Chief Supo Shonibare
(25) Mr. Odia Ofeimun
(26) Hon. Lawal Garuba
(27) Mr. Biodun Sowunmi
(28) Hon (Dr) Ishaq Kurufi
(29) Hon. Uche Onyeagocha
(30) Hon. Bashir Idrs Nadabo
(31) Mr. Kayode Ogundamisi
(32) Saint George Eke
(33) Mr. Bamidele Aturu
(34) Prof. Sola Adeyeye
(35) Mr. Osita Okechukwu
(36) Hon (Dr) Haruna Yerima
(37) Mr. Anselem Odinkhalu
(38) Mr. Akintoye Branco-Rhodes
(39) Hon. (Dr) Almajiri Gaidam
(40) Alhaji Amitolu Shittu
(41) Mallam Uba Sani
(42) Barrister Supo Ojo
(43) Barrister Sani Hussaini Garun-Gabbas
(44) Mr. Festus Okoye
(45) Mallam Salihu Lukman
(46) Dr Sam Amadi
(47) Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni
(48) Alhaji Kabir Yahaya (49) Hon. Awwal Tukur
(50) Mallam Tanko Yinusa
(51) Mallam Nasir Kura
(52) Achike Chude
(53) Mr. Iboroma Akpana
(54) Mr. Morakinyo Ogele
(55) Dr. Pat Utomi

http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4401:prominent-nigerians-call-on-yaradua-to-resign&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

I read this on Sahara Reporters:

This the twitter i have created for our sick leader - https://twitter.com/babagoslow

The facebook is also at www.facebook.com/babagoslow.

Feel free and enjoy yourself
http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4380:send-yaradua-back-to-nigeria-now&catid=116:sr-readers-letters&Itemid=393

@Depilot
Please give more details about why Sahara reporters should be banned.
Your story of good things happening in Nigeria may be correct to some extent. What about the bad things happening there? Have you ever travelled on Lagos and Ore Road? What about Ilesha, Akure and Owo Road?. Please tell us what good development is happening in Ibadan, Ondo, Akure, Ilesha, Jos, lokoja and the list goes on.

Who is in Charge Of Nigeria? Nobody

The statement credited to this idiot if true confirms how gullible this ex-convict is. So all citizen must sing the praise of the govenment. Does that makes any sense?

Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has openly challenged the government of President Umaru Yar’Adua to confiscate any property attributed to him but not reflected in his forms at the Code of Conduct Bureau, saying he was ready to forfeit them

Ribadu, who was reacting to Friday's reported decision by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to declare him wanted and a fugitive of the law, said he was surprised the tribunal could contemplate such a thing when they are aware that he had to leave the country following what he described as “relentless persecution that climaxed in two assassination attempts".

The embattled former EFCC boss reacted in a statement dated November 20, 2009, entitled " A Fugitive, Me?” He lamented that the federal government has failed to come up with any finding in the assassination attempts which they promised to investigate.

The statement reads in part: "My attention has been brought to the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal headed by Justice Constance Momoh declaring me wanted and a fugitive. For those not familiar with the case, this is in respect of suit number CCT/ABJ/01/2009 accusing me of not declaring my assets while in office from March 2003 to December 2008.

"I am naturally surprised at this decision of the court knowing full well that I had to leave the country on January 3, this year, after a relentless persecution which climaxed in two assassination attempts.

"In the past I made this point – and it may just be as well to repeat it for all: all my true assets are reflected in my Code of Conduct declaration and if the regime in power is convinced, as its sponsored agents had claimed in the past, that I have assets in and out of Nigeria, I again openly and willingly forfeit them to the state".

Urging the tribunal to tread the path of honour and compel the Code of Conduct Bureau to release the documents in its possession which, he said, resolves whether he declared his assets as stipulated by law, he pointed out that he could not see how declaring him wanted and requesting his arrest would satisfy what the tribunal was trying to resolve. There was no substance in the case, he insisted.

Ribadu, who described the current call for his arrest as part of the relentless persecution of him, queried whether it was not in the power of the tribunal to order the Code of Conduct Bureau to produce certified true copies of his asset declaration.

He further vowed that, for the rest of his life, he would continue fighting against corruption and for the promotion of good governance in Nigeria and beyond.

The former EFCC boss also debunked insinuations that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, used him as an attack dog against his perceived political opponents, arguing that he never went after any perceived opponents of the former president.

Ribadu also told his critics that those mounting the propaganda that he was used by Obasanjo are those responsible for the predicaments the country is in presently.

In an exclusive telephone interview with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY from the United Kingdom, Ribadu said: "First and foremost, I will ask who Obasanjo's opponents are? Tell me Obasanjo's opponents that we went after? All those who are waging terrible propaganda against me and the EFCC are those destroying the work we did in Nigeria and are the ones who are responsible for all the problems happening today in our country. For example, the so-called enemies of Obasanjo cannot even come to America; who then are the enemies of Obasanjo that we went after? I want them to mention them.

"Who is more of enemy of Obasanjo than Tinubu? What happened to him? The best friend of Obasanjo was Odili, what happened to him? Is the Metropolitan Police also working for Obasanjo when they were going after James Ibori or the FBI also working for Obasanjo for those that were recently brought to justice? Many of them cannot even dare step on US soil again, so we know the real enemies of Obasanjo. I can assure you, we never touched one of them. We know the real enemies of Obasanjo, like I said, and nothing ever happened to them when I was there. It is very tragic that deceit can be easily achieved in putting Nigeria backward."

Recalling the early stages of the EFCC, Ribadu, who marked his 49th birthday yesterday, argued that he nurtured it and regained the country's battered image internationally. He said: "I will continue making my contribution for the people and the country, and these and many more attributes will continue for the rest of my life. My biggest plan is to revive what we did because people tend to forget what we did; we created something out of nothing. It is not all about the perception people have that I was harassing people. I actually built up an institution that was nothing up to this moment that it has become what it is. Every day and up to this very moment, it has become the talk of everybody. EFCC is my creation. I went about doing it in the best possible way. I brought up young Nigerians and I gave them basic working tools, and set up a commission that delivered results, and I worked towards gaining international image for my country. And for the commission, it has become not just a Nigerian household but an international referral point in the fight against corruption. The challenge was getting it to work in an impossible environment like Nigeria." On the challenges he faced in the anti-graft campaign, he said: "Corruption fights back and you cannot fight corruption with corruption. We need to start afresh, we need to sanitize, we need to clean up and start doing things properly and correctly, i.e, good macro-economic management, law and order, ability to build unity, fairness and justice among citizens. These are the fundamental requirements to the leadership that is aspiring to develop. We need a leadership that will capture the vision of the people and that is what is needed for the developing countries to go far. Even now I am on my way to about eight countries in the next 10 days because of all these."

On his attainment of 49 years of age, Ribadu further said: "I am grateful to God and I thank God for my life. I have never celebrated my birthday in my life but for this one, Alhamdullila, I thank God and am grateful for this life and praying for long life and the fact that I have been opportune to have given my own little contribution to my country, more than ever before. I am also prepared  to offer my country the best. I will continue fighting for justice for my country, which is the fundamental issue of corruption. Corruption is more than what we think".

On his regrets, he added: "The only regrets that I have is you cannot fight corruption in leadership that does not believe in it. Sadly, it is the biggest challenge confronting Nigeria – I mean political leadership. Well, every pin of EFCC is my own creation and I know the direction we were heading and know what we did and what we delivered. And anytime I hear of any good I am proud of it because it was a product I nurtured, but I also feel sad that the whole thing has been aborted. I am feeling it because I know the in and out of it."

Malam Ribadu also bared his mind on the possible future: "Well, I am waiting to see what will happen and I am writing. Basically, the point is, nobody knows the future and nothing lasts forever. No one knows the future and the future is in the hands of God. If you had asked me, would I be caged out of my family and live in a foreign land for doing the right thing for my country, I would say no. If you had told me before that I would be chased out of my family for doing what is right I would say no. But God knows what the future is for all of us and God will decide at the best time. For me, my future is in the hands of Almighty God, and there is God, and God is watching everything that is happening.

"For my being here I am extremely lucky, because it is one of the greatest things that has happened to me after I left the EFCC.I now have an international exposure after I left the commission. Aside being in the St Anthony's College in the Oxford University where I had been learning a lot about development, the fact that I am now a fellow at the Center for Global Development, the number one leading think-thank of development in the world, and the first African to be a fellow there is worth appreciating Almighty God".

Malam Ribadu was born on November 21, 1960. He studied law at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1980 to 1983, where he bagged a Bachelor of Laws degree. He was called to the Bar in 1984. He also earned a Master of Laws degree from the same university.

In the course of his work at the EFCC, he received the World Bank's 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service on April 15, 2008.

Source:http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/index.php/news/cover-stories/8718-ill-forfeit-my-assets-if-ribadu.

Well, even James Ibori and his fellow crooks and associates knows that there is no iota of truth in what he said in his press conference.  Ibori claimed to be a "Christian", James if you are truely a christian, please come over to London to defend yourself on the allegations against you afterall even if you are being prosecuted falsely, I think your "god" will defend you.  So please submit yourself to justice.  Only you will know James why it took you so long to tell us why Ribadu is after you.  Lieing through your teeth will not save you.  You may hide for now but since you claim to be a christian, the bible says "a sinner will not go unpunished".  What you have forgotten is that a day and time will come, that a King that did not know Joseph will emerge.  So Game on!!!!.

Here is another interesting reading about our James Ibori:

The strange career of James Ibori


One easy way to describe James Onanefe Ibori is that he is a former governor of Delta State. It is also the least interesting way to describe the astonishing career of a man who mirrors much of what is wrong with Nigeria.

Here’s a more interesting fact about Mr. Ibori: Long before he became governor, he’d been convicted twice for crimes committed in Britain. In 1991, he and his then girlfriend (and now wife), Theresa Nakanda, were found guilty of theft. Mr. Ibori was fined 300 pounds sterling and ordered to pay another 450 pounds sterling as cost. A year later, Mr. Ibori was convicted again, this time for handling a stolen credit card.

Here’s another, even weightier, narrative: In 1993, during the reign of bespectacled Sani Abacha, somebody wired more than a million dollars into Ibori’s account in the US. That transaction drew the due attention of American law enforcement officers. Puzzled American officials were curious to know how a man – that is Ibori – who at the time lived in a subsidized council flat in London could have come by so much cash. The US government, suspecting that the money came from one 419 scheme or another, asked a judge to freeze the account. Ibori explained away the cash by passing himself off as a consultant, and he produced a letter from the Abacha regime to back him up.

Listen to yet another tidbit about the man. He and his associates currently face prosecution in Nigeria and the UK on charges of laundering billions of naira of public funds during Ibori’s eight years as governor. Nuhu Ribadu, who ran the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission until December 2007, has said that Ibori tried to “persuade” him with – wait for it – $15 million to discontinue the agency’s prosecution of the former governor on embezzlement charges.

Mr. Ibori looms just as large in the mystery department. On September 28, 1995, the Bwari Upper Area Court convicted a man named James Onanefe Ibori of negligent conduct and criminal breach of trust. Yet, when two men from Delta invoked the case in pleading that Ibori be declared ineligible to serve as governor, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court and produced a confounding verdict. Nigeria’s highest bench decided the plaintiffs had not proved that James Onanefe Ibori the governor was the selfsame James Onanefe Ibori the convict.

Ibori has a hardworking (but luckless) handler in Tony Eluemunor, a former journalist. Mr. Eluemunor’s unvarying mantra is that his master is a victim of a carefully choreographed malicious slander. Sadly for Ibori and his handlers, the repetition of this line has done little to improve its credibility index. And neither Mr. Eluemunor nor his principal has come forward either to identify those who are after Saint James or to convincingly prove the falsity of the many counts of corruption tagged to Ibori’s person.

If Ibori’s were a simple story of a public official whose greed overwhelmed his sense of restraint, he would be a commonplace. In the arena of Nigeria’s gubernatorial politics, too many stealer-governors love to play in the First Division. They often cart away more than half of the revenue accruing to their states.

Mr. Ibori’s genius lies in the way he has parlayed his criminal record into a swaggering performance. His political trajectory has been nothing short of amazing. From his humble beginnings as a petty thief in London, this man rose to the commanding heights of Nigerian politics. Nigerians ought to wonder why such a man – why men with similar pedigrees – are routinely permitted to rise to leadership.

Nigeria has a case against Ibori in a federal court in Asaba. Yet, that fact did not stop Umaru Yar’Adua from putting Ibori on an official delegation to this year’s Beijing Olympics. That fact did not inconvenience the ruling Peoples Democratic Party which recently elevated Ibori to the rank of “party elder.” That exaltation made Ibori a custodian of the party’s mission and exemplar of its deepest mores.

Several of Mr. Ibori’s front companies are on the list of rogue debtors whose delinquency brought some Nigerian banks to the brink of collapse. Even so, the former governor enjoys, and flaunts his, open access to Mr. Yar’Adua. Nobody in Aso Rock has the sense (forget the sense, how about courage?) to warn that Mr. Yar’Adua’s dalliance with Mr. Ibori, an ex-convict who happens to be the principal accused in trials on two continents, sells Nigeria as precisely the kind of crooked country that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described.

The day Mr. Ibori and his ilk begin to cower, instead of strut the stage – that day will mark the beginning of a new, salutary ethos.

source:
http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3801:the-strange-career-of-james-ibori&catid=90:okeyndibe&Itemid=273

Well the truth is that these guys will rust in jail. Waziri and AGF can do everything in their power to defend and cover these rogues up, the truth will always prevail. The most painful thing here is that if you see the people on trial face to face, you wont believe what you saw. The three of them are so ugly that one can only ask Ibori what are these. When you see their pictures you will think may be but seeing them you can only shake your head - very ugly things. Anyway they lost today again during their pre-trial hearing. Its now 2 Nil. So one can only say, Game on. Ibori your days are numbered.

Well the topic is still on.
The scrore as at today is:
AGF, Ibori, Waziri, Ibori and his Associates is 0
Nigerian masses, UK Prosecutors, Equity and Justice is 2

Ibori and Co lost again in the court today. The second defeat in 1 week. Game on. The pre-trial hearing continues next week.


UPDATED: London Money Laundering Trial: Big Blow to Ibori's mistress Udoamaka: Arrest warrant was proper, Judge says
http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3789:2009-09-25-13-38-11&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

Enjoyment1:
Naija Babe!, which one be your own. A thief is a thief, but one must not join any multitude (except they are following Christ). Even if the man is a thief, he still has some things which one will remember him for.

Search your life, are you better than Ibori?. If we know your own deficiency, wont we shout and castigate you like Ibori?. If  i notice some good aspect of you, just like Ibori, I will do same.

If you have never committed any sin before, Naijababe, cast the first stone!.

Perhaps some of us do know the good things Ibori did so perhaps you can enumerate them on this forum since you know him very well.  Please remember to do a list of all that he did wrong as well.  In your list please be kind enough to list the number of roads, schools, hospitals, number of people that won scholarship, number of jobs created when Ibori was the Governor of Delta.

As to if anyone has never committed any sin before, well true we were all born in sin.  Ibori has not admitted his sin neither has he repented.  The fruit of repentance is coming openly to confess his sins and admitting to any punishments that will come therein.  I will think that is the starting point for either Ibori, OBJ, IBB and the rest of them and all persecutors of Ribadu.

Luchitec:
ATTENTION NIGERIANS IN THE UK

One of the Nigerians at Ibori trial yesterday was assaulted by supporters of Ibori. Also their supporters (outnumbering Nigerians) in court threw disdainful and threatening looks at Nigerians observers.

Now I am doing a call out Nigerians to troop to court on Friday (next date for hearing) and show these people that WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED HERE AS WELL.


Next Date for Hearing:

Friday 25th September

Time 10 AM

Southwark Crown Court


Address1 English Grounds
(off Battlebridge Lane)
Southwark London
England
SE1 2HU

Unfortunately for these supporters, London is equipped with CCTV everywhere either inside or outside the court room. They may look threatening but to be honest that is all they can do. If anyone assaults the other, they will get nicked and will make it much easier to get them to jail even before the people they support. I am very sure they too know that they are not in Nigeria where they can bribe the Police to destroy CCTV evidence. Even if there are no CCTV evidence, there are always people who can be a witness.

Eclairs:
Not to raise an alarm but the new e passport online application seems so fradulent. I am wondering if anyone who has used it can help. I have made payment online but there is no evidence to show that. I'm not sure how the whole process works and I am meant to be going to the Nigeria High commission London next week.

I do have a reference number, an application ID but thats all I have got.I tired proceeding with my application but it tells me I am yet to make payment, tempted to make payment again but have been warned not to.

HELP PLEASE

Its wrong to term everything people do as fraud. Because you have had a difficulty does not mean people are fradulent. The question will be,
Have you contacted them?
If Yes what was their response.
Have you made payment?
Did get a receipt for your payment?
If you have paid and got a receipt, go back to google and send them a message where it says contact >>>. That should be on the top right hand corner.

A friend of mine processed his and when he contacted them, they got back to him within 3 hrs. Please try to contact them first before branding as a fraud.

seges:
@linuxuser you clearly have some issues!, creativity is simply trying 2 state Ribadu is no different 4rm Ibb,ibori they are all the same simply put manipulative and deceptive. All these politicians are all thieves including Ribadu's master obasonjo who he turned a blind eye to and saw no wrong in all the evil his master did(fradulent sale of fed house, allocation of oil blocks, transcorp share just to name a few. Back 2 d topic Ribadu was never interested in fighting corruption he was just a political tool all those he went against yes they were corrupt but he moving against them was'nt borne out of any motive to stamp out corruption.

Seges,

Frankly i have no issue with anyone including creativity. My primary concern is the tenacity creativity has employed in this forum to wish Ribadu dead. an assessment of all her comments confirms that at least 40-70% of them are tailored towards condemning Ribadu. Was Ribadu ever a President of Nigeria. Why has she been so blind to the likes of Ibori, IBB, Waziri and the big time looters of Nigerian resources. Of course, her conscience is so sealed up that she can not see anything good about Ribadu because that is what she is paid to do. Till date, No person, entity or whatsoever has presented any credible evidence that Ribadu stole money. People like creativity and her Masters are leaving the object and chasing shadows. We all are waiting to see if that will take Nigeria anywhere. I strongly believed that each of us, will one day look back and appreciate the good and bad that Ribadu did. of course Ribadu is a human being and hence he might have made some mistakes. But some of us can pardon the mistakes of IBB by campaigning for another opportunity and yet Ribadu must be crucified. What an hypocrisy.

Of course Ribadu is more than 100 million better than IBB, Ibori. IBB was the Head of State of Nigeria hence he had all the opportunities to make Nigeria better but IBB choose the part of institutionalising corruption. Ibori too is nothing more than an armed robber. Ibori had the opportunity to better the lives of the people in his state but he decided stealing their money is the only way for him. Waziri of a woman too is nothing but a thief. There are unquestionable facts about the efforts of Ribadu to make Nigeria better for Nigerians. Of course he made mistakes, but no objective person will ever compare Ribadu with IBB or Ibori or Waziri. The dead (Ibori, IBB etc) and the Living ( Ribadu, El-Rufai) can not be compared.

cre8tivity:
he is a complete fraud, and he knows it too.
yes, yaradua's name was on the list of no good governors. the list was presented to obasojo when 3rd term idea was buried. few weeks after, obasojo gave ribadu an order to do his best to clean up yaradua's name because he's the perfect one for the presidential position.
about 2 weeks after ribadu returned to aso rock with his own list of the new administration to take over from obasojo; he ignored the order given to him by his boss (obasojo).
when obasojo discovered this list he was very upset and reminded ribadu that he was nothing but aso rock police dog. obasojo also advised ribadu to get out of aso rock with his list. few days later the police dog (ribadu) returned to aso rock with a pass card with yaradua's name on it.
sooner or later the real story got to yaradua and he promised to pay ribadu for taking his time to submit the pass card.
according to ribadu's list, el-rufai was supposed to run for the presidential position while the IG position was designed for ribadu.

now, how could anyone not see ribadu as nothing but a political tool and a thief?
instead of him fooling himself and making all kind of noise, he should come out and address all these allegations like a man.
and this is what all his supporters should be asking from this fool.

If Rubadu is a fool, then I wonder what you are. Your conscience tells you why your soul has been so sealed up to see nothing good in Ribadu. Your obsession with him is evident in your posts on this forum and all I can say, is ride on. You as paid agents of your masters who employed you to post just anything about Ribadu can not succeed. Your time will come. Its just a matter of time. Carry on with your hatred posts against Ribadu. If Ribadu is a thief, a bush boy and all the names you have always called him, then could you please be bold enough to tell us what IBB, Ibori, Waziri and your masters are?. I leave the answer to yourself. May I remind you that the whole world is waiting for your credible evidence to suggest Ribadu is a thief. Your rabble rousing is not enough. Credible evidences will suffice. Long Live Ribadu. Long Live Nigeria. May all the embezzlers of Nigeria resources (including sycophants like cre8tivity perish in Hell). Amen

duabba:
@ stoik_joy

You get brain. No be small sumtin, we agree they are corrupt folks amongst us but if we can instill a sense of patroitism in ourselves. The thieves should plough back the funds into our economy.

As for me, if anyone must steal they should plough back into our economy by investing so as to create jobs that would grow the economy. Just imagine how dollars dey rise because we have no other commodity to export apart from oil. We have to look for a way to end this endemic corruption within the system or use it to work for us.

As for Ribadu, he couldn't have caught them all. But he tried to do what he could. His critics can hardly do better put in his shoes. Nigeria is a nation of high-wire politics. Nobody can wake up and erase corruption overnight. May God give us somebody who would effectively continue from where Ribadu stopped.

Well I am not sure whether to say your prayer is too late because the Farida of a woman there now at the helm of affairs is nothing but a corruption incarnate.  God Save Nigeria.

[[quote author=profit$ link=topic=210942.msg3286020#msg3286020 date=1230657740]I support fighting corruption totally in the right manner. Ribadu missed the chance he had, he missed the trigger by being selective and doing OBJ bid[/quote]Kindly mention those that were picked up and did not loot Nigeria. Five names will survive.

wirinet:
I disagree with your assertions, selective justice is worse than no Justice at all. If  i know that justice is selective, then all i have to do  is just to lick the ass of those in power and i can get away with anything, then i will not care to break the law. Selective justice is usually a tool of establishing a dictatorship.

The issue is not if or not you agree with the assertions but rather that you answer to

linuxuser:
You know people had accused him of selective justice and I have always said if justice is selective why did it select you? Justice does not select people who have nothing in their closets.

“There must be something you have done wrong that made justice to select you. I have not seen one person among the people this man picked up that didn’t have something to warrant the arrest. Why did justice not select me? Why did it not select you?

Source: Ayo Oritsejafor  - Vanguard 29/12/08

Please don't distort the issue.  Kindly mention those that were picked up and did not loot Nigeria.  Five names will survive.

You know people had accused him of selective justice and I have always said if justice is selective why did it select you? Justice does not select people who have nothing in their closets.

“There must be something you have done wrong that made justice to select you. I have not seen one person among the people this man picked up that didn’t have something to warrant the arrest. Why did justice not select me? Why did it not select you?

Source: Ayo Oritsejafor - Vanguard 29/12/08

This is IBORI AND Yardua in Uniform. I weep for Nigeria.

The Waziri of a woman is nothing but a joke. Ibori and the rest of the thieving governors are all still in Nigeria. Waziri is yet to return the Mercedes she got as a bribe. She is flexing her muscles about someone that is not even in Nigeria. What stops her from arresting the people in her domain right now. Waziri and her EFCC are nothing but a fool indeed. Corrupt bastards.

Mr. President, If Lecturers are indeed corrupt, what about Ibori that bank rolled your election? saint?. What about your Attoney General, and Judges that put paid to your selection. Now indeed we know sir you are indeed looming in the dark and have no respect for the rule of law you are claimining to champion.

"Babangida, who was on pri-vate visit to Yola, called on the National Assembly to expunge the clause from the constitution, saying the country would not be able to realize its full potential if public officers continued to embezzle public funds."

Good talk sir. You will lead by example if you return all the Nigerian money you and your cronies looted. Its only after this that any serious minded Nigerian will take you (Babangida) seriously. Until this happens you are definitely talking to ther air.

Despite the intense campaign of disinformation being orchestrated by James Ibori and Nigeria's controversial Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa through local Nigerian media outlets, neither James Ibori nor his many associates facing trial in the UK for money laundering have been freed from prosecution by the recent ruling of the London High Court, according to the lead ruling delivered last week by High Court Lord Justice Hughes.

In fact, court documents recently obtained by SaharaReporters show that the Metropolitan Police have obtained fresh evidence of Ibori's extensive money laundering activities in Guernsey, Mauritius and the United States. Also, the Metropolitan Police authorities maintains that Ibori is yet to be charged in the UK because he is on the run, meaning that he is a fugitive from the law. But Saharareporters investigations show that Ibori and Aondoakaa's well–funded spin in the Nigerian media was aimed at preparing the grounds for the scandalous ruling of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna yesterday, which literally put an end to his Nigerian trial.

SaharaReporters had reported that a panel of judges at the Court of Appeal was bribed to put an end to Ibori's case while Yar'adua toyed with the idea of crowning him minister and putting him in charge of the new "Ministry of the Niger Delta." Although Ibori denied that he was going to become a minister, our investigations revealed that the ruling was ready as we reported. Yesterday, the bizarre ruling read by Justice Amina Adamu-Augie, a female judge at the Court of Appeal in Kaduna (duly supported by Justice Moshood Abdulrahman Oredola and also endorsed by Justice Abdulkadir Jega-one of the judges who received a bribe at the Presidential Elections Tribunal to award judgement to Umaru Yar'adua in February 2008) gave Ibori the leeway he had always sought to end his corruption trial in Nigeria. The ruling ordered the chief judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria to "re-assign" Ibori's case to the jurisdiction where the crime was committed.

Legal analysts have cried foul. Many of them who spoke to SaharaReporters stressed that the Federal High Court in Nigeria has jurisdiction over federal crimes and suspects could be tried anywhere in the country, similar to a Court of Appeal ruling in Kaduna regarding businessman and Social Democratic Party (SDP) and June 12 election winner, M.K.O Abiola. Some of the analysts also pointed to the case of Niger Delta militant, Henry Orkar, who is currently standing trial before a Federal High Court in Jos for offences he allegedly committed in the Niger Delta region.

But the favorable ruling for Ibori was aimed at ending the remainder of the cases proffered against corrupt former governors, majority of who have already instructed their lawyers to file fresh motions asking for their cases to be repatriated to the jurisdiction of their choices. Most of the former governors are currently standing trial for money laundering in Federal High Courts in jurisdiction outside their states of origin. Despite being tried in Kaduna by a Federal High court judge, Ibori—with the support of his cousin and current governor or Delta State State, Emmanuel Uduaghan— transported thugs from Delta State in large numbers. They attacked the court building and assaulted EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, during his pre-trial hearing.

Before the shocking ruling yesterday, the EFCC had last week hinted of the coming decisions in order to preempt public outcry. It said that some elements opposed to the government was assaulting its leadership because of some decisions they were about to take on the high profile cases being tried by the agency, starting with a plea bargain with the former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion and James Ibori. Though the EFCC said it intends to "appeal" against the plea bargain granted Mr. Igbinedion, who left the Enugu court in considerable triumph, it has remained quiet over its intended action against Ibori's "victory" at the Court of Appeal. SaharaReporters sources indicated that there is an internal outcry within the EFCC, working assiduously to do damage control regarding the cases of Ibori and Igbinedion. The agency is expected to make definite pronouncements to the effect that they will appeal both cases, to demonstrate its “seriousness” the EFCC, may even do a dress rehearsal by "re-arresting" and charging Igbinedion again.

Legal analysts say that with ibori's victory in the Court of Appeal concerning jurisdiction, Mr. Igbinedion has by implication gained added grounds of legal advantage and can appeal against his limited conviction since his case was also tried outside of his home state, Edo. This same argument would also apply to DSP Alamieyeseigha, and other former governors facing trial outside their home turfs where they can easily and repeatedly buy justice or intimidate witnesses and prosecutors. One of the legal analysts drew attention to the Bode George case at a Lagos High Court, which now teeters on the verge of collapse as prosecution witnesses have given testimonies in conflict with that of the prosecution.

In arriving at the scandalous judgment concerning Ibori, Mrs. Augie, herself an indigene of Onitsha, confirms she has been in the camp of James Ibori all along. It would be recalled that she was the one that ordered the release of his passport in an earlier ruling, which enabled Ibori to embark on whirlwind travels to Dubai, South Africa, Mauritius and China. Ibori's extensive travels, according to a US law enforcement sources, enabled him to dissipate a lot of his hidden assets.

London High Court Ruling
Contrary to the reports in the Nigerian media, which cites page 16 of the High Court ruling, the crux of the London High court ruling was that the evidence obtained from Nigeria through the former Attorney General, Bayo Ojo is definitely in the bag to commence the trial of Ibori's associates, on January 12, 2009, in the extensive money laundering cases proffered against them in the United Kingdom. In a statement made available to SaharaReporters, prosecutors of the Metropolitan Police expressed satisfaction regarding the ruling. It said, "Following an appeal at Southwark Crown Court on 18.12.08, Lord Justice Hughes has upheld the bi-lateral treaty of 1993, allowing the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission [EFCC] and the Metropolitan police to work together, sharing evidence concerning the investigations and prosecution of crime and the confiscation of the proceeds of crime."

The statement reads further, "The appeal was made by lawyers representing a number of defendants who are subject to criminal allegations in the United Kingdom and one who is the subject of corruption allegations in Nigeria."

DCI Sean Wanless of the Met's Economic and Specialist Crime Command said: " We are extremely pleased with Lord Hughes ruling and will continue to work with the Nigerian Authorities to tackle international corruption."

The second tranche of evidence obtained directly from the Nuhu Ribadu-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not be immediately admissible in evidence due to Aondoakaa's interference in the case, except on two grounds. The first is that the Metropolitan Police, through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), re-apply for endorsement from AGF Aondoakaa in accordance with the interpretation of the Mutual Legal Agreement Treaty (MLAT), since he opposed the use of the evidence in the first place, (due to his closeness to Ibori and expressed intention to frustrate the trial in the first instance.)

Secondly, prosecuting attorneys of the Crown Prosecution Service might appeal to the trial judge at the Magistrate Court to look passionately at the evidence, in accordance with section 78 of the Police & Criminal Evidence Act 1984, to admit the evidence regardless of how it was obtained. The criminal history of Mr. Ibori and his wife, Theresa, might prove useful in getting a favorable ruling in this regard, but it will depend on the discretion of the judge.

Based upon the ruling of the High Court, Theresa Ibori's bail application hearing was billed for next week (December 22, 2008) at the Southwark Court before Judge Rivlin. If bailed, Theresa was expected to return to Nigeria on a hiatus since her passport is bound to be released to her. In that event, Ibori and the Delta State government will give her a heroine’s welcome, although she will be expected to return to face trial in January, which she is unlikely to honor. The same judge had previously granted bail to Joshua Dariye, DSP Alamieyeseigha and his wife; none of them returned to London to face trial.

Meanwhile, Ibori's co-accused in Kaduna, Udo Amaka Okoronkwo continues to languish in the Holloway prison in the UK after she was repatriated from France where she was picked up on a European warrant. Mrs. Okoronkwo's lawyers have tactically avoided applying for bail pending the decision of the London High Court, and it is expected that she will come forward to make bail applications now that the ruling is over and the Metropolitan police will likely ask for stringent bail conditions.

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=795

RIBADU V THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: THROWING AWAY THE BABY WITH THE BATHWATER
by Dotun Oyeniyi


What a country! A country that is so notorious for humiliating the righteous and glorifying the scoundrels. That is exactly what Nigeria does best. Be it known to all that those who love Nigeria, wholeheartedly and serve her honestly, faithfully and with all their strengths, behold one of three types of reward await them: end up in the prison; or in the grave; or a combination of both in the order of a brief passage through prison into a final destination – grave.

If you think that this assertion is just some hyperbolic fantasy of an enraged writer, then just cast a cursory look at Nigeria’s political history since independence with a view to discovering the innocent victims of State-sponsored terrorism and oppression.

Obafemi Awolowo – imprisoned; Murtala Muhammed – murdered; Moshood Abiola – imprisoned, then ´murdered´; Dele Giwa – murdered; Gani Fawehinmi – imprisoned several times over; Wole Soyinka – imprisoned; Kudirat Abiola – murdered; Alfred Rewane – murdered; Ken Saro Wiwa – imprisoned, then ‘murdered’; Fela Anikulapo kuti – imprisoned and his properties destroyed; Bola Ige – murdered; Dora Akinyuli attempt on her life; Abraham Adesanya – attempt on his life.

These are some of Nigeria’s true patriots whose only misdeed was to be borne in a land where good deeds are detested like a plague by a leadership class who is an immense beneficiary of and whose survival is intrenchantly conjoined with venalities. That leadership class, powerful, well connected, wealthy, callous, murderous and ruthless, is always ready and willing to mash, emasculate and smother anyone that stands as a clog in their wheel of impropriety, out of office if he had one and then out of life, with impunity and without any remorse.

A new addition to that long list of terrorised compatriots is being systematically written by this leadership class whose oppressive tentacles reach all parts of Nigeria and it will take concerted efforts of all of us, by crying a deafening havoc at their latest exploits, to stop this callous machination being intricately woven around Nuhu Ribadu. It goes without saying that the former anti corruption warrior is presently lurking precariously between the prison gate and the grave’s orifice, both of which were flung open and deeply dug respectively by the Nigerian government.

Yes, the Nigerian government, personified by President Musa Yar'Adua, his Justice Minister, Aondoakaa and the police IG, Mr Okiro, is the architect and mastermind of the present travails of Ribadu. The handwriting is too legibly written on the wall for anyone to be fooled. Forget the rushed claim of innocence by the Federal Government, following the barbaric treatment of Ribadu at the NIPSS graduation ground. If truly, the Federal government is not privy to that plot, and following her distancing of self from the act; will Mr Okiro and those faceless characters behind the veil of the Police Service Commission have the shameless audacity to continue, sub judicially, to harass Ribadu? If the answer to that question is yes, then with due respect to His Excellency, Alhaji Musa Yar´Adua, is not fit to be President. It is indicative that he is only in government but not in power, not at all. Or what manner of president will fold his hands and look the other way while the police authorities take up arms against a man who virtually single-handedly removed the unpleasant tag of world most corrupt country from Nigeria’s neck?

I sincerely find nothing more laughable and hilarious than the charge of indiscipline brought against Nuhu Ribadu by the police authority.´ What qualifies the Nigerian police high command to talk about discipline? If the Nigerian police is disciplined, would it not know that when a case is before a court, all parties must maintain the status quo until determined either way by the court? Hence, Ribadu remains a substantive AIG until the court pronounced him otherwise. If the Nigerian Police is disciplined, would his men treat their IG with so much flagrant contempt that they continued to set up checkpoints contrary to his order until he virtually had to get out of his car and chase them away from the illegal checkpoint into the bush on Lagos – Ibadan expressway? If the police is truly disciplined, would its men be using logs of timber, disused tyres, heavy stones and anything at all to set up their checkpoints as if we are in a war zone? If the Nigerian police is half as disciplined as it pretends to be, will it be unable to properly train its men on the methods of carrying rifles in a professional manner? In the entire civilised world, and even in India, as shown by the response of the Indian police to the recent terrorist attack, policemen carrying rifles normally strap them around their bodies, ostensibly to make it difficult for them to be dispossessed of the rifles. Not so with our own ‘disciplined’ policemen, who carry rifles carelessly as if they were some walking sticks, sometimes turning them into a makeshift chairs with the nozzle pressed against the ground while the officer rest his body on the butt. Would a disciplined police throw Tafa Balogun out of a moving car like a bag of cement while the former police boss was still being tried? No way, the Nigerian police authority lack the tiniest qualifications to enable it talk about discipline.

Let no one be in doubt that the well coordinated assault on Ribadu transcends the issue of getting promotion without due process. The real issues are those of envy and vengeance. Envy by those contemporaries of Ribadu who could not stomach his achievements at the EFCC and thus wanted him brought down at all costs. Envy also by his seniors, including the IG perhaps, who see Ribadu’s excellence, popularity, achievements, reputation as an incorruptible officer, unusual dedication and mission as a threat to their own reputations and offices. There is also a mission of vengeance from those powerful men of yesterday who have been crushed by the giant wheels of Ribadu’s anti corruption rollercoaster. Those men who lost their offices and millions in foreign currencies and billions in naira will not just sweep everything under the carpet with equanimity like that. They will surely fight back, aiming to strike Ribadu with a killer blow and part of that fight is what we are presently witnessing.

However, the killer blow is not just for Ribadu, it is for Nigeria as a nation, it shows that like a leopard, Nigeria hasn’t changed a single of her spots of corruption; it shows that Nigeria is a repelling environment for the forthright and a receptive one for the dubious. The federal government is doing the most stupid thing any government could do to her honest servant, especially when such honest servants are in short supply – throwing away the baby with the bathwater.

No doubt, Ribadu is one of the finest officers the Nigerian police have ever produced. It remains both mysterious and incredible to me that that decadent force whose personnel from the anonymous recruit from the remotest corner in Nigeria all the way through to the shot-callers at Louis Edet House in Abuja are mostly corrupt can produce a man of Ribadu’s integrity.

Go to the Scotland Yard´s office in England and the FBI´s office in the United States and mention the names Ribadu, Waziri, Onovo and Okiro. What you will certainly hear is ´we know who Ribadu is but who the hell are Waziri, Onovo and Okiro? ´ That is the difference between the lasting and the temporary; between class and rank; between substance and shadow, between service and office; between making millions of achievements in office and making millions of naira in it; between being a principled person and being just principal of persons and between being the inspector General of the people and the Inspector General of the police. Ribadu is the quintessential embodiment of the former while most of other high ranking police officers represent the latter.

http://www.nigeriannews.com/

Killing Ribadu softly: Who will pay the price?
by Frisky Larr

It took two acts. Just two acts. The megaphones were silenced. The trumpets are taking over. Just with utter caution!

It took the act of closure. The closure of a media house! The arrest of journalists! All in the aftermath of hoaxes and arguably, malicious reports on the President’s health! It took a second act. The arrest of a blogger in a newfound hobby that is not so new. Internet blogging is a few years old, transforming the face of media expression in the landscape of political commentary in Nigeria. Self-imposed writers or public commentators with no clue of journalistic mechanisms have been no strangers to the Nigerian scene for the past few years. Many are remnants of megaphone writers and hobby critics of the past regime. They were mostly abusers of the instruments of writing speaking in bile, gruesome and despicable languages all in the guise of courage and stoic resilience.

For the first time though, one of them was picked up at the Nigerian airport on a visit to his motherland from overseas. Not by Idi Amin. Not by agents of Sani Abacha or agents of the hated Olusegun Obasanjo. No. He was picked by agents of the allegedly democratically elected government of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His crime: too critical of the present regime.

This new twist has kept voices restrained in the face of arrests and media closure. Those abusive languages and hate-filled venom that trailed the last year of the past regime are a rarity today in the columns of professionals in the home scene.

Caution, diplomacy and objective criticism have all become a hallmark of critical contents these days. And that is how it should have been since anger against a brother is paradoxically felt in the flesh and not in the bone. But reasons enough the media do have to unleash venom on the present government of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Observers are no stranger to the traditional illustration of our past leaders in figurative characterization. In fact, one such case portrayed General Ibrahim Babanginda as one strange leader in Nigeria who would slap his detractor and offer him his shoulder to cry upon in a mockery of solace and tactful comforting. On the contrary, General Muhammadu Buhari is generally portrayed as one bizarre personality that would slap his detractor and dare him to cry.

The latter is unfortunately, the image that meets the eye today in the actions of the Nigerian Police Force (obviously tele-guided by the maximo-leader President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua) against a prominent and outstanding son of forceful devotion – Nuhu Ribadu.

While history reflects that many leading names in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Police Force have at one point or the other, benefited from rapid promotion for reasons that were not subjected to public scrutiny, a weird argument bearing on due process is being advanced today as reasons enough to reverse the promotion of Nuhu Ribadu from AIG to DCP. Unlike previous benefactors – amongst whose names Mike Okiro often features – reasons for the accelerated promotion of Nuhu Ribadu is highly appreciated by many reasonable Nigerians and foreign observers alike because they were there for all to see.

Having beaten this rare symbol of anti-corruption decorum in a desperate bid to invoke some elusive public disgrace by demoting him in Public Square, they are now daring him to cry by seeking to know who authorized him to challenge his demotion in the court of law.

Indeed when Olusegun Obasanjo fought tooth and nail to install Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as President to succeed him, he – do doubt – had at the top of his mind, the fear of the persecution he would suffer if he was succeeded by Muhammadu Buhari or Atiku Abubakar. Alongside this fear though, were some vital assurances that political operatives in traditional democracies characterize as “Gentleman’s Agreement”. It has been reported that the retention of Nuhu Ribadu in his position for the continuation of the good work he was doing, was part of such vital assurances made by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to his predecessor. It may be pertinent to observe that some will rightly contend that nemesis served Obasanjo right for having himself, reneged on previous phantom deals with the mentors that installed him in power. Unfortunately though, Obasanjo neither succeeded IBB nor did he succeed Abubakar Atiku as President. The gravity of reneging on words or the disposal of prudent continuity in the handover and takeover of policy-making positions has been all but clearly exemplified in the disaster called President George W. Bush of the United States. The same scenario is now playing out in the Nigerian domestic scene.

Reneging on agreement with IBB and his cohorts was dangerous enough for national unity as Sharia and Atiku subsequently tried to vindicate. But breaking words in policy-making positions however, is always done at the expense of the destiny of policy direction and the mechanism of governance. Today, a chain reaction has been set in motion with Nuhu Ribadu declared as a free game for Michael Aondoakaa and Inspector-General Okiro and perhaps sooner than later, Mrs. Waziri as well.

But what reasons on earth does Umaru Musa Yar’Adua have for launching this massive war of attrition against Ribadu?

It is easy to understand – thank goodness – a dwindling minority of Nigerians who claim in all soberness that Ribadu is getting back what he did to others. After all, such people (much like the leadership of the Action Congress headed by Abubakar Atiku) have either had axes of corruption to grind with Ribadu in the course of his courageous fight or are sympathizers of those who fell victim to the no-nonsense stance. Many voices have highlighted in all clarity thus far, that Nuhu Ribadu unfortunately did the bidding of his erstwhile boss by being blind on one eye and seeing all too clearly on the other. This reality has never been lost on wise and prudent observers from within and outside the nation. Foreign financial sponsors of the EFCC under Ribadu's leadership saw this as well. It was in fact, no novelty to the world's political scene to see the victimization of political opponents with authentic crimes committed by them. Hear echoes of multi-millionaire Khordokowski behind bars in the Russian Federation! The bottom line in the views of observers is simply to determine if the crime for which charges are made were truly committed or not. Till today, no single person that was prosecuted by Nuhu Ribadu has been discharged and acquitted or declared innocently prosecuted by any court of law.

Indeed, it is easy to understand the frustration-induced bitterness expressed by these culprits and their sympathizers when they claim that Nuhu Ribadu went after them and left out others, whose innocence was their personal proximity to the power of the day.

But what problem does Umaru Musa Yar’Adua have? Has he become so much of a captive of circumstances and influences that he would simply stop at nothing to destroy Nuhu Ribadu?

Today, analysts are puzzled and raise endless questions on why one action or the other is being served on Ribadu for no discernible crime. In fact, many analysts are addressing the symptoms of the ailment while the real issue has nothing in the main, to do with uniform or lack thereof at the NIPPS graduation ceremony, or qualification for the rank of AIG. It is simply vendetta for real.

But again, why? For what reason on earth is Umaru Musa Yar’Adua bent on undoing Nuhu Ribadu? The picture simply does not fit.

Ribadu did his utmost to investigate corrupt politicians across a broad spectrum. Many voluntarily opted out of competition for the Presidency upon persuasion with the volume of corruption dossier piled up against them. The benefactor was Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the nation at large that was spared known corrupt leaders. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was widely believed to be clean at heart and in bank account. No Ribadu dossier, no shrinking eyebrow showed him as corrupt. He was a promising figure. To consolidate power and position in a volatile political arrangement, the President no doubt, needed power brokers to avert social and political upheaval. But where is the President’s guts to let people be tried in public, who are widely believed to have made no secret of their obnoxious mission to drain the public coffers? Why do Lucky Igbinedion, Orji Uzor Kalu or former governor Ibori count among the President’s best friends today? More painfully and disturbing too is the shortage of any attempt whatsoever, to disguise this trait. Ibori who bears the wrath of his people for arbitrary personal wealth and extremely disproportionate minimal achievement as governor! Lucky Igbinedion who patiently and stoically watched and laughed at a whole state reversing deeper into the Stone Age and abject poverty while his own family burgeoned in wealth and progress!

Obasanjo the devil incarnate surrounded himself with people like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Soludo, El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu – all appraised for positive achievements but are collectively being derided today. The most prominent actor in Saint Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government today is Michael Aondoakaa and his principal agenda is “Bring down Ribadu”!

What on earth is Yar’Adua’s problem? Power and position have been consolidated almost two years into a four-year tenure. Where are the guts? There has been a public yearning for the Supreme Court to play it easy on Yar’Adua on the legitimacy of his election. After all, the signs will be dismal if instability is ushered in, in the wake of a negative judgment. Unfortunately however, the government seems bent on chewing more than it can swallow. Never has headline been made with milestone achievements in the power sector, transport sector or water supply. When headline is made, it is a diversionary reversal of a predecessor’s policy or the humiliation of a predecessor. Thus far, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been applauded by a public that is increasingly turning around to recognize that no action taken by the President has thus far translated into public benefit.

Labor Unions are watching and Students Union too. The bellwether goals have become “money in my pocket” and the deal is done. Students are locked in cultism and are hardly students anymore.

But today, major columnists in Nigeria have done Nigeria proud by rallying around Nuhu Ribadu. Caution in their choice of words notwithstanding, the message has all been clear. Nuhu is not Ribadu. Ribadu is not the man. And the man is not the issue. Ribadu is a name. It stands for anti-corruption. Kill Ribadu and the project will be killed. At least for now! But when it rises again, it will wear a different cloak and the victims will be different.

Close the media house. Arrest the journalists. Arrest the bloggers too. But there are Fawehinmis whose soul will never die no matter the chains of arrests. NigerianNews will speak out – Unbridled and Unafraid. Set the secret service loose – the truth will never die! Some will take to the streets with a little bit of courage. They will ask you loud and clear: “Kill Ribadu slowly but who will pay the price?”

Source: http://www.nigeriannews.com/

Big B1,

I noticed that you are always in haste to either start a thread that condemns Ribadu or make up/pick up stories that suits your father IBB. If Ribadu is so bad, what rating would you give your IBB? It is without any iota of doubt that IBB looted Nigeria to its bone, insitutionalised corruption, annulled the most democratic election in Nigeria history and yet you have never condemned IBB and his cohorts. But you are are always quick to remind us about all that Ribadu or OBJ did wrong. Your must be the most fool I have ever seen.

Your writings has proved to all that you lacked integrity and conscience. Ribadu in his failings, is 100 millions times better than your IBB and whatsoever you and him represents. Your campaign and ambition that perhaps IBB will rule this country again is dead in the water. He may continue to be a God father to some of the thieving politicians, but to hell with IBB and whatsoever all his supporters.

God Bless Nigeria
God Bless RIBADU
God punish IBB

coolier,

I will think someone do not need to know too much before starting a radio station.  It all depends on what interests you.  When I started my internet radio about 2 years ago, I do not know much but get on the internet and began making enquiry got some info and started off.  All you will need is nothing much than 1 or 2 pcs with one or two sound cards each, 1 microphone, a mixer (optional), a software (depending on how you want to go about it - some basic softwares are actually free), a domain name and a host that will relay your broadcast.  This things are actually simplier than we think and I do not thin k we need to make people feel guilty when they have some in their mind. 

With what pcs etc I mentioned above, you can convert your internet radio to a normal broadcast by getting a basic transformer depending on the radius you want to cover.   A dedicated studio is not necessarily required in my own opinion.  So you can actually set this up if within a couple of hours or day(s) - remember depending on your interest.

zorro,

The cost of the license is the most daunting provided that even if you can raise the money for the license, the "powers that be" will be willing to give you the license. To start with, I will suggest that you start with an internet radio which is less expensive. You can actually start with less than 500,000.00 Naira. Starting with internet radio, you can learn the trade even before you get a license. If you need some help, I may be able to help you.

It is not clear anymore if this is borne out of blind hatred for Ribadu or inability to understand simple english[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]. by McKren

McKren,

I will think its a combination of both and much more - desperation to cover up; amongst others.

Again, I have nothing directly against Ribadu, I just crave to witness the real war against corruption in My lovely country, Nigeria.
And I do not think that is too much to ask![font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font] by BIGB1.

Good talk but let us include IBB as well because excluding IBB will be nothing but selective justice which is what some of us are accusing Ribadu of as its an established fact that IBB looted our Treasury hence I strongly feel "your crave to wirness the real war against corruption in our Country, Nigeria" must include our condemnation of all perpetrators of corruption and this without any question includes IBB.

Also, why did he not come out with all the charges brought against Ibori recently while Ibori was in office? Why did he wait until the guy was out of office? This is a case of tit for tat. by ono.

You know the answer to this question yourself but only trying to hide behind one finger one can guess.  Does it make any sense? - borrowed from my good friend BIGB1

BigB1,

Did you read this:

http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/08/01/20080107nigeria.htm


Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
On the Removal of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman
Janaury 7, 2008

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, made the following statement in the wake of the removal of Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Eonomic and Financial Crimes Commission, from office:

“Despite running on a platform of “zero tolerance” for corruption and promising across the board improvements in governance, Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua has already failed to live up to this commitment during his first eight months in office. The most recent example of President Yar’Adua’s inconsistencies in combating Nigeria’s endemic corruption is the removal of Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), despite a record of successful prosecutions. With a number of critical cases underway, the EFCC should not be gutted. The U.S. government must not coddle leaders like President Yar’Adua if they demonstrate an inability or unwillingness to improve democratic infrastructure and defend human rights. The Bush Administration should make it clear to the Nigerian president that the U.S. does not support Ribadu’s removal and that, in the interest of promoting transparency and the rule of law, all existing investigations and prosecutions should continue to move forward as planned.”

Feingold also wrote to Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua outlining his concerns. His letter is below.

The Honorable Umaru Yar’Adua
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Office of the President
Aso Rock Villa, Asokoro District
Abuja, Nigeria

January 7, 2008

Dear Mr. President,

As the Chairman of the Senate Africa Subcommittees, I have visited Nigeria and closely follow developments in your country because I am keenly aware of its strategic significance to the United States and in Africa. As one of the continent’s most populous and prosperous countries, Nigeria has long been a role model in Africa, not least for its return to democracy after sixteen years of military rule. I was therefore extremely disappointed by the seriously flawed general elections last April, but was encouraged by your pledge to improve governance with “zero tolerance” for corruption.

I was pleased to hear that while in Washington, D.C., last month, you reiterated your commitment to transparency, accountability, and rule of law as essential preconditions for Nigeria’s social and economic development. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen demonstrable evidence of progress in these areas; on the contrary, recent events suggest that Nigeria is backsliding under your leadership.

I am particularly concerned by the recent announcement that Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the esteemed Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has elected to step down from his post instead of accepting the reassignment to the yearlong management training course that was ordered last week. While ongoing training of government officials is important, mandating a year-long hiatus for the head of the EFCC while there are several significant pending anti-corruption cases calls into question the sincerity of your commitment to this issue. The EFCC has had unprecedented success in obtaining several high-level corruption convictions, and Mr. Ribadu has earned national and international acclaim for his leadership over the past five years.

While I deplore the transfer of Ribadu and would like to see him finish out the remainder of his term, if he does elect to step down from his current post, it is essential that his personal safety and security be guaranteed. In addition, Ribadu’s departure must not be used as a pretext to disband the EFCC or undermine its work. The recent charges filed by the Commission, including those against former Delta State Governor James Ibori, should be fully and transparently investigated and prosecuted.

You have repeatedly emphasized the positive impact of good governance on development, but political and economic gains go hand-in-hand. The legitimacy and credibility of your government, both at home and abroad, depend upon your consistent and observable commitment to combating corruption. In light of the recent upsurge in violence in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, it is even more imperative that your government exhibit the highest respect for rule of law at all levels of society. Failure to follow through on your policy of “zero tolerance” for corruption will fuel dissent among the Nigerian population and diminish confidence abroad.

Therefore, I urge you to do everything in your power to create the appropriate environment for both political and economic development by strengthening the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and empowering Mr. Ribadu, rather than sidelining him and potentially undermining the EFCC’s important work. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to reaffirm your personal commitment to democratic principles and practices and to solidify Nigeria as an example for other young democracies.

Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold
United States Senator