The presidency has reacted to the statements made by an opposition leader, Nuhu Ribadu, in Kaduna on Sunday, claiming the latter is blinded by ambition.
Mr. Ribadu, the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011, had on Saturday, while addressing students of the Ahmadu Bello University, described President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as “a sinking ship.”
In its reaction, the presidency in a statement by Reuben Abati, said the Jonathan administration will not be distracted from the implementation of the agenda for national transformation by the “falsehoods and vituperations of Ribadu and his new friends.”
In what appears a defense of convicted and latter pardoned former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Mr. Abati also made reference to Mr. Ribadu’s tenure as pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleging that the anti-corruption crusader “orchestrated the impeachment of governors with an illegitimate quorum of legislators who had been threatened by the EFCC under his watch.”
Mr. Alamieyeseigha was impeached by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and subsequently prosecuted and convicted by the EFCC under Mr. Ribadu. He was succeeded as governor by his then deputy, and now president, Goodluck Jonathan. Another governor impeached and prosecuted by Mr. Ribadu led EFCC was Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, who is still facing his corruption charges. Both men are now allies of the presidency with Mr. Alamieyeseigha pardoned by the president; and Mr. Fayose welcomed back into the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Read the presidency’s full statement below:
“The Presidency totally rejects the false, hypocritical and self-serving claim by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu at a lecture in Kaduna on Saturday that Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan is a “sinking ship” in which the yearnings of the masses are being neglected by a tyrannical leadership.
“We find it very sad and utterly deplorable that Nuhu Ribadu has resorted to shameless wolf-crying, the peddling of arrant falsehood and the denigration of the elected government of his fatherland in furtherance of his selfish quest for continued national political relevance after his wholesale rejection by Nigerian voters in 2011.
“It is very unfortunate indeed that the once highly respected former EFCC Chairman has now taken to political prostitution and developed a penchant for irresponsible and reckless utterances aimed at improving the electoral fortunes of his new friends and “leader”, who he once famously denounced as a crook who is “not fit to hold public office”.
“There can be no doubt that nothing else but blind ambition for an office for which he is clearly unfit is driving Ribadu to infer that an Administration led by a President who welcomed him back to the country after his self-imposed exile, restored his rank in the Nigeria Police to save him from the shame of demotion and converted his dismissal from service to retirement has now become tyrannical and anti-people. We take special note of his ingratitude.
“If Nuhu Ribadu wants to talk of tyranny then he should talk of the days when he orchestrated the impeachment of governors with an illegitimate quorum of legislators who had been threatened by the EFCC under his watch. It beats the imagination that Nuhu Ribadu, a man who once presided over an EFCC which in 2007 compiled a list of disqualified politicians aspiring for office without a court order or legal backing now has the guts to accuse the man under whom Nigeria has had the most credible elections in this Fourth Republic of being the leader of a “sinking ship”. Can there be a greater tyranny than the tyranny of removing governors via undemocratic means and barring legally entitled persons from contesting elections?
“Nothing else but misguided ambition could have driven Ribadu to urge Nigerian youth to rise up and save the country from an Administration which he willingly served recently, but which he now duplicitously and insincerely claims is “imposing private interests on the majority”.
“It is certainly the height of hypocrisy for Ribadu who built his entire reputation as an anti-corruption crusader by completely disregarding the rule of law and recklessly trampling on the rights of perceived enemies of the government of the day, to now accuse an administration that has consistently upheld the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights of being tyrannical.
“It is only a shameless man that will turn around and accept to be the political lackey of a man he once openly accused of corruption at various times between 2004 and 2007. Now that he has been used and abused by the undemocratic overlords that reign over the ACN and fearing that he may soon be dumped now that that vehicle is about to be subsumed into the so called All Progressives Congress, Ribadu is desperately seeking fresh relevance.
“Ribadu’s descent into a moral abyss since leaving the exalted office of EFCC Chairman, his equally ethically-challenged new friends and his willingness to vituperate against any person or institution he perceives as a challenge to the fulfillment of his unattainable ambitions, have clearly exposed him for what he truly is – a thoroughly unprincipled attention-seeker whose entire career in the public service was built on bootlicking and doing the bidding of the powers of the day without a care for legality which should have been his primary concern as an officer of the law.
“President Jonathan and his Administration will not be distracted from the diligent implementation of the agenda for national transformation by the falsehoods and vituperations of Ribadu and his new friends.
“Far from being tyrannical as Ribadu falsely alleged in Kaduna, President Jonathan will, as he has consistently done since assuming office, continue to strengthen institutions of democratic governance in Nigeria, uphold the fundamental human rights of all Nigerians including the youth, and protect their right to elect leaders in free, fair and credible elections”. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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What are you saying Reuben Abati. Ur worlds dosnt make any senx 2 me. Y will u say he illegaly remove Fayose and Alaimaseiye 4rm power? Are u telling me a whole governor do not have a team of credible lawyers 2 challenge an illegal impeachment? Haba mr Reuben. Think b4 u say. Matt17
ReplyDeleteI used to see Abati as an honourable man. He has completely lost it, he is no different from Okupe. His job is being threatened and what he can do now is to start barking like Okupe.
ReplyDeleteSee what public office can do to a man.
This man Ribadu is an ingrate indeed. After all that this Administration did to give him a new lease of life after he exiled himself following his disobedience to constituted authorities orders. This Ribadu is the EFCC Boss that brought his former Oga Mr. Tafa Balogun handcuffed to court as a common criminal over corruption charges in seeking self vengeance against his perceived delayed promotion. This man does not know what the definition of TYRANY is. We shall either sink/float with this ship. We do not need the likes of Ribadu and his new friend to tell us the depth of the sea. Thank you, you are an INGRATE.
ReplyDeleteAbati is really a confused and sinking man indeed. he doesn't seems to care about his integrity any more.
ReplyDeleteGOD HELP US. WE SEEK UR INTERVENTION IN THIS OUR COUNTRY OF OURS. THIS IS OUR HOME. THIS IS OUR NATION. HELP US TO RUN IT ACCORDING TO UR WILL AND NOT OUR WILL. ONLY YOU ALONG CAN GUIDE OUR LEADERS THRU THE RIGHT PATH. HELP THEM AND SHOW THEM THE LIGHT OF THE DAY THAT THEY MAY NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE DARKNESS OF YESTER YEARS. JESUS, HELP NIGERIA AND NIGERIANS. AMEN
ReplyDeleteRibadu's conspire with Bayelsa lagislators to impeach the then Gov, who benefit from it, today formal EFCC boss lost his job and not working for the govt anymore but the then Deputy Gov. Become the Gov and now the President of the nation. All gotten because there was an impeachment, and employ Mr Abati as a spokeman. If it's possible to rewind the hand of time will you prefer the inpeachment not to take place for GEJ to remain Deputy, or maybe after the tenure of the then Gov.end, he become the Gov. Of bayelsa state. We should remain Grateful for what we receive weather directly or indirectly, because Mr Abati would have remain the journalist that he use to be, if I'm correct.
ReplyDeleteI am a Nigerian living in the UK. Goodluck Jonathan may not be a saint but he appears to be the best out of a bad bunch. Fuel scarcity was a norm and already accepted as part of daily lives in Nigeria,and he solved that. Our power generation was in steady decline since 1960 when the British left.He is tackling that albeit slowly. These so called northern leaders had been in power for ages and did nothing to improve the plight of Nigerians. Even now all they shout about are trivialities, and will never offer alternatives or solutions. Anyone who wants to criticize our President should say specifically what he is not doing well and how it can be done better in the interest of Nigeria. I don't care who leads Nigeria as long as the country moves forward to take its rightful position in world affairs.
ReplyDeleteReuben Abati have sold his integrity and conscience to position and money.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Nigerian living in the UK; please come back and live here or stop making nonsense statements. What do you know about the sufferings of Nigerians - big fool. And to Abati: You remember when you use to be participant in the "Patito's Gang"?, the tv talk show that looks at national issues? You, Abati used to be a super critic of everything government, but now that you find yourself in there, you are talking nonsense and very anti-people. Remember, no condition is permanent. Like a commentator said earlier, if Alams were not impeached, your 'oga' now (GEJ), would not have been governor, nor what he is now - probably would have become an oil thief or their sponsors. I hate seeing your ugly face in our media.
ReplyDeleteThe bitter truth is that Nigeria is a sinking ship. It is not just Ribadu's thinking, but the view of many Nigerians and non-Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteUseless mr uk if u know he has solved all d problems u mentioned den come back to nigeria nd go nd live in maiduguri den may b u si d true pictures of tins u don stay deir nd b talking bagadash here. Only time will si off dis yeye govt a sinking ship indeed!
ReplyDelete@ Mr. UK 4ku. u are living like a slave in UK, even UK citizens are dieing of hunger and lack of employment talk less of goat like you.
ReplyDeleteIf u are a man come home; home is sweet.
GEJ is a disappointment therefore, stop talking rubbish. GEJ's boss Yaradua reduced fuel prices but, as soon as he Yaradua died GEJ increased the prices so what rubbish are you saying.
Public officeholders are stealing, looting on a daily basis GEJ has no gut to check them so what are you saying.
@ Vendit GEJ is unfit to provide Ribadu his basic rights. Tell me Ribadu's offense or sin before he left for exile. You blinds would never appreciate a gift like Ribadu in this country until he is old and ineffective or dies away.
@ Abati; the born idiot, he is not worth living. He lives, eats, survives on telling lies for dubious and confused government led by stinking PDP.
You guy should hunt for me, I do not care after all, I have benefited nothing from this country besides, Oyinbos are better than many of us in our land rather na suffer we dey everyday as usual.
yany you are a big fool by cursing somebody ok. U northerners has never seen anything good in GEJ just bc he is from south and minority. How do u want a whole Nigeria that ur northern brothers has turned to a rag since 40yrs ago to just be a heaven within 2yrs. Think well and stop this your tribal and religious criticisms. Chyk
ReplyDeleteThank u Chyk. A mess of 40yrs to be changed in 2yrs, very rediculous. Even when there re busy making d polity ungovernable for GEJ. Is he magician? U people should get real.
ReplyDeleteAbati is suffering from oral diorhea (OD), let him say whatever he likes. Time will tell us the sinking ship.
ReplyDelete