Plots to remove Ribadu intensify.
Three major political heavy weights in within the current political dispensation namely, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief James Ibori and Governor Bukola Saraki are spearheading the renewed war against EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu. Nuhu Ribadu who just returned from a one-week trip from Europe was sighted yesterday at the home of former president Obasanjo. He had led the EFCC since 2003 and was recently granted a fresh 4-year term by Obasanjo before he departed the presidency on May 29th 2007.
Saharareporters had earlier reported that General Babangida never forgave Nuhu Ribadu for practically scuttling his desire to return to power prior to the 2007 general elections. The EFCC had arrested his first son, Mohammed for money laundering but was granted bail as intense pressure was mounted on Nuhu Ribadu through Nasir El-Rufai. The EFCC also accused France of helping the ex-head of the military junta to hide his stolen assets.
On his part, Chief James Ibori is said to be seriously offended that Nuhu Ribadu convinced Yar'adua not to include himself and any of his ex-governor colleagues in the yet to be announced ‘new cabinet’. The EFCC also recently met with a delegation of the Metropolitan Police from London led by DC Peter Clarke of the Assets Recovery Unit at the New Scotland Yard to present evidence of ex-governor Ibori's money laundering activities in the UK and elsewhere. They also presented incontrovertible evidence of James ibori’s ownership of a barely known but lucrative airline-Wing Aviation Airline Limited.
Governor Bukola Saraki, who currently heads the "Governors Forum”, grouse is that the EFCC might have been responsible for leaking his assets declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, which was freely made available on our website's E-library section. The governor of Kwara State was the executive director of the Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria, a family bank ruined by the Saraki’s. The EFCC maintains that investigations against the Sarakis are still on-going, even as they the commission refuses to state when the culprits involved in wrecking SGBN will be charged to court.
These individuals have combined their efforts and mounted serious pressure on Umar Musa Yar'adua to sack Nuhu Ribadu, believed to stand in the way of their complete take-over of the federal government. A source close to the internal workings of the group told Saharareporters that Mallam Yar'adua has no federal experience, iron will or stamina to run the government. The source further describe Yar'adua as a weakling, who is being manipulated by two political camps, one led by ex-president Obasanjo and the other led by Ibrahim Babangida. The pressure being mounted on Mallam Musa Yar’Adua to sack the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu has so far not manifested in any serious trouble for the police officer, except that the EFCC has not been given a list of ministerial appointees to screen, instead the Yar'adua has passed it to the police and the state security service.
A source within the EFCC told saharareporters that the recent visits to states of the federation to ascertain contracts awarded by ex-governors might have acerbated the plot by the ex-governors who found ready company in General Babangida who had earlier spearheaded a successful campaign against Nuhu Ribadu's nomination for the position of Inspector General of Police. But the source said there was no truth in the reports that the EFCC had become incapacitated by the current government, stating that the EFCC would in a matter of days spring a major, surprise urging our reporter to "wait and see". He admitted that certain political personality (ies) were behind the negative news regarding the commission.
The source further said that there is a growing powerful movement led by certain individuals to return Nigeria to the era of free-for-all corruption which was the hallmark of the Babangida years.
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