Nuhu Ribadu, best known as the pioneer and most successful chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says that the necessity of national service, especially to defeat corruption, made him say yes to the appointment.
“If we would effectively isolate and defeat this scourge therefore, we must all see it as a preeminent national security threat,” he said in a statement issued today. “We must see it as a war within our borders, a war that has assumed a systemic and endemic character, but to which all must now urgently enlist with our different capacities, or accept to all go down with the ship.”
He said he does not think it is inappropriate to invest the same “modest talents and capabilities” in Nigeria that he has readily offered many foreign communities, from sister nations in Africa to far flung places like Afghanistan.
“This, if nothing, makes my decision very personal, freeing all affiliations [social and political] of complicity, but investing the decision also with the unique character that when people reach evaluations in favour of their larger communities, it doesn’t necessarily blemish their moral identity,” he said.
The former ACN presidential candidate said: “This therefore is a national call. In answering it, I go back to the template of my own parents who taught me that honest public service is the greatest asset a person can offer his community. It was the same lesson I learnt from his biographical example when my own father returned home as a federal legislator in Lagos to take job as a local council official in Yola—it is all about the community, and it is sometimes bigger than our personal egos.”
Earlier today, the ACN, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Lai Mohammed, said Mr. Ribadu would be accepting the appointment in his personal capacity.
[Full text of the statement]:
Given my recent political pedigree, many inquirers naturally wanted to understand what was happening, and whether it was true that I was consulted and whether I would accept the offer.
The history of my life is a history of public service, and if we cast an honest look to the recent protests in the wake of the oil subsidy removal, it will be clear to all that the biggest single victory Nigerians scored was to put the question of corruption squarely back on the top of our national policy agenda.
Regardless of our affiliations, our differences, and our engagements, it is at least safe to say that we have a national consensus on the deadly impact of corruption on our march to greatness, and on the capacity of our people, particularly the youth, to earn a decent, promising, life.
If we would effectively isolate and defeat this scourge therefore, we must all see it as a preeminent national security threat. We must see it as a war within our borders, a war that has assumed a systemic and endemic character, but to which all must now urgently enlist with our different capacities, or accept to all go down with the ship.
At this point in my life, it is also easy to answer the honest question if it is inappropriate to invest my modest talents and capabilities to my country what I have readily offered many foreign communities, from sister nations in Africa to far flung places like Afghanistan. This, if nothing, makes my decision very personal, freeing all affiliations [social and political] of complicity, but investing the decision also with the unique character that when people reach evaluations in favour of their larger communities, it doesn’t necessarily blemish their moral identity.
This therefore is a national call. In answering it, I go back to the template of my own parents who taught me that honest public service is the greatest asset a person can offer his community. It was the same lesson I learnt from his biographical example when my own father returned home as a federal legislator in Lagos to take job as a local council official in Yola—it is all about the community, and it is sometimes bigger than our personal egos.
Nuhu Ribadu Esq.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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Go ahead sir, prove it once again, God is on your side. don't mind that foolish good for nothing petroleum minister........bring her out with proof to sure. i believe you.
ReplyDeleteMost laudable appointment of the season. The right man for the job.
ReplyDeleteBut I thought this was the same man that said there was no corruption in the system, that Nigerians were not corrupt during the Presidential debate
ReplyDeletelet your name be RE-ECHO in Nigeria once again, the fear of R-I-B-A-D-U is towards eradicating the greatest of the greatest corruption. bon-voyage.
ReplyDeleteNonesense, Ribadu is going to destroy whatever is left of his integrity if he has any left.
ReplyDeleteits better he accepted this offer. it not enough for people to stay outside and criticize when they can actually be involved in these reforms..if one does not do anything,he should not complain in the long run!
ReplyDeletemy view is that Ribadu should accept the appointment offered him by the Federal Government. Service to your people must not always be the highest position. I have also at different times in serving my own people uprightly, agreed to be a Treasury of the Community after serving the Community as a Vice Chairman and briefly Chairman of the Community; when I have proved myself upright in my dealings. So go ahead to serve. I share the same principle with you Dad.
ReplyDeleteThe truth i want to tell Nigerians in diaspora is that PDP or FI-DI-FI as our people in the north use to call it has nothing to offer Nigeria. If we should take into consideration, ACN have the best brains in the country. I learnt they are planning to have BRT, and BRT lanes in Abuja. (Babatunde Raji Transport) Fashola opened their closed eyes! now Ribadu will open their eyes and expose their in-competencies.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wise decision ,Nuhu ,take it for the interst of ur mother land, arise o compatriot.
ReplyDelete