Leadnaija
Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, has said that Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), was suffering “serious amnesia” or lying about never describing President Bola Tinubu as corrupt during his time as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Fij.ng Report
Via X on Wednesday, El-Rufai posted a news clipping he says Daily Trust published in February 2007. The headline of this report reads: ‘We’ll frustrate Tinubu, Kalu, others — Ribadu’.
News clipping with Ribadu’s statements on Tinubu in 2007
In the 2007 report, Ribadu said, “Tinubu and the rest (other governors) should consider themselves as very lucky. They ought to have been where Joshua Dariye (the impeached Plateau State governor), Ayo Fayose (the impeached Ekiti State governor) and DSP Alamaiseigha (former Bayelsa State governor, also impeached) are today. They cannot escape.”Tap Here To Read Full Details
The post comes 24 hours after Ribadu issued legal notice to politician Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad who accused him of serving in the cabinet of a man he once accused of being corrupt.
Naja’atu posted a video on TikTok faulting Ribadu while speaking her native Hausa language.
On Tuesday, Ahmed Raji (SAN), Ribadu’s lawyer, wrote to her, demanding a retraction and public apology in five national dailies within seven days.
The letter read in part, “Clearly, in the text of your recording, you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, he allegedly named President Bola Tinubu, alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (all former Governors, and in that order) as the governors in Nigeria who stole the most from (the) public treasury.
“You also stated that today, our client who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu has turned around to be his staunchest defender; especially, with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.
“You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu and other governors as thieves.
“Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.
“In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the President; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him.”
In his X post, El-Rufai responded, “Najaatu’s statement is accurate.” He added that a record of proceedings in the Senate would confirm Ribadu made the controversial statement “sometime in 2006”.
El-Rufai also added, “The conclusions of the Federal Executive Council in 2006, which can be subpoenaed from the Cabinet Secretariat of the SGF’s office, contain the allegations.
“In that Special FEC meeting in which I was a member, Nuhu’s EFCC made similar presentations accusing many sitting officials, sometime in 2006. These Council Conclusions will further remove all doubts. This is for the record and to remind the morally flexible that at some point in our national life, silence is no longer golden.”
