The
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu
is in the eye of the storm for his dual role in the fight against corruption
by the Obasanjo administration. Obasanjo is not believed to be sincere in
his war against corruption. This has sometimes put Nuhu Ribadu between the
Devil and the Red Sea. State’s institutions are being used to witch-hunt
perceived enemies. There are ample of proofs to support this assertion, but
this does not come within the ambit of this discussion.
Nuhu Ribadu who would not pause at the
slightest opportunity to label other people as corrupt, has not been able to
see any trace of corruption in President Obasanjo or his close associates.
In fact, he defends Obasanjo on allegation of corruption whenever he has the
chance to do so. On one occasion that I can not remember vividly, Ribadu
stated in very clear terms that President Obasanjo is not corrupt. It is
difficult to accept Nuhu’s verdict on Obasanjo since he has not investigated
him. Even if he has, the verdict would still be prone to contention because
Nuhu and his Commission can not be an impartial umpire.
President Obasanjo is bundled with series of
corruption charges that he has not reasonably defended. His agent, i.e. Nuhu
Ribadu should throw more light on these issues to exonerate Obasanjo. Some
of the recurring allegations against Obasanjo are, among others, the
following. Who owns Ajaokuta Steel Mills, Jos Steel Rolling Mills, Delta
Steel Complex and National Iron Ore Mining Company Itakpe? Who bought out
the shares of Akeem Bello-Osagie thereby becoming the largest shareholder in
United Bank for Africa? Who was the largest shareholder in Zenith Bank and
First Interstate Bank before the merger into Unity Bank? Who is the owner of
Obanaja Cement factory?
Who owns majority shares in Virgin Nigeria? Why
does the airline enjoy special facilities at the international wing of our
airports at a pittance? Why does Virgin Nigeria not pay both parking and
landing fees and at the same time purchase aviation fuel at a discount? Who
are the true owners of Arik Air? Why was the bidding for the assets of the
comatose Nigeria Airways not transparent?
Who are the true owners of Transcorp? What is
President Obasanjo’s level of commitment in the multi-national corporation?
Why was NITEL given to Transcorp at the sum of $750 million when Globacom
bidded $1.2 billion for the same property? What about Eleme Petrochemicals
and Osogbo Machine Tools?
What is the source of fund used to rehabilitate
Obasanjo’s farm that now rake in N30 million per month when the farm has
been lying fallow prior to the 1999 election that brought in Obasanjo as
President? What is the source of funds for his farm investments in the six
states of the Federation? How did Obasanjo acquire the Beach Land Estate in
Lagos?
Is it ethical for a sitting President to launch
his library pet project cajoling government contractors and government
parastatals to donate into the fund?
What deal does President Obasanjo have with the
owners of Mittal of India that led to the hurried manner in which Oil Block
246 was granted to the Indian conglomerate?
Since Nuhu Ribadu has been holding briefs for
the President, he can as well provide answers to the afore-mentioned
questions to clear his principal’s name from allegations of corruption.
According to Nuhu Ribadu, he is not only hated
by corrupt Nigerians which his Commission purports to fight but also by his
kinsmen. He eluded to this fact in the recent interview he, along with Nasir
el-Rufai, granted The Nation newspaper. We all know that there is no
hiding place for a golden fish. The minimum expectation is that since Ribadu
is hated by everyone even by his own kinsmen, he should find succor in
Obasanjo on whose back he rides to unleash terror on innocent citizens. That
is the crux of the matter, and it forms the basis of my fear for Nuhu
Ribadu.
President Obasanjo is well known for his
use-and-dump-attitude. He can sacrifice anyone at the slightest chance no
matter how valuable that person had been to him. T Y Danjma, Tafa Balogun,
Fola Adeola, Otunba Fasawe, Sunday Awoniyi, Solomon Lar, Atiku Abubakar,
Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, Marc Wabara, Late Sunday Afolabi etc were all in the
good books of Mr. President at one time. If after using Ribadu, Obasanjo
drops him as he did to the afore-mentioned, Ribadu should count himself the
luckiest person on planet earth.
My premonition is that Ribadu, in the course of
his duty, might have stumbled on some damaging materials on Baba and in his
naivety informs Oga on how best to quash it. If this ever happens, then
Ribadu’s matter is closed. He has known too much about a man who is not
prepared to trust anyone. He is just living on borrowed time.
To compound the whole matter, no one will ever
suspect Baba if Ribadu drops dead. The likely suspects will be the 419ners,
State Governors and other politicians because of the obstacles he has
created for these people. Vice President Atiku may even be a suspect because
of the PTDF saga. Let me quickly add here the Atiku Abubakar, Turakin
Adamawa, is a true democrat who would not hurt a fly to realize his
political ambitions. His antecedents will speak for him.
However, Baba is a retired general who has
fought wars in many fronts. The life of a useless cop does not mean much to
him. His antecedents will buttress this assertion. The late Attorney General
of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige was murdered in the heat of his
misunderstanding with Omisore. Nigerians were made to believe that Omisore
was responsible. Chief Funso Williams was assassinated and again we were
made to hold politicians responsible. Grapevine has it that as Chairman of
NPA, Williams stumbled on some facts which were enough reason to get him
eliminated. Also, Chief Ige would have constituted a nuisance in the 2003
presidential election if he were to be alive. The fact of the matter is that
Ribadu is trading with professionals who know when to strike so that they
won’t be suspects. A word is enough for the wise.
Not quite long ago, an alarm was raised that
plans are being hatched by Atiku loyalists to eliminate some aides of the
President. Ribadu’s name was not on the target list. Something keeps on
telling me that the ground is being prepared to actualize a heinous act by
the same group raising the alarm.
As the saying goes, ‘he who rides on the back
of a tiger eventually ends up in the belly of the tiger’.