The pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has partly broken his silence on his defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party, saying the step he took was in the pursuit of a “good cause”.
The 2011 presidential flagbearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria, a party which merged with other opposition political parties to form the APC, made his first comment on the defection to the PDP early hours of Tuesday
He promised to give details of his next political steps “in due time” but added that his decision to join the PDP was not borne out of selfish interests as being portrayed in some quarters.
He said, “As for my next step in this political struggle, this would be made known in due time. For now, I wish to assure you that my defection is in pursuit of a good cause, and never out of any selfish interests as portrayed by a section.
“Thanks for bearing with me on this decision, and for those who have been in solidarity with my struggles and still giving me the benefits of the doubt, I’m most grateful. I’ll never let you down on this new path.”
Ribadu formally joined the PDP on Saturday, and on Monday he picked the PDP’s Expression of Interest form to run for the forthcoming Adamawa State governorship bye-election slated for October 11.
Though he did not mention it in his Facebook post, the ex-EFCC boss is believed to have left the APC because he felt it would be impossible for him to realise his governorship ambition on the platform of the APC.
He is also said to be habouring many unresolved grievances against the leadership of the APC, who he believed failed to compensate him for his sacrifices for the party.
Parts of such sacrifices, according to sources in his political camp, were his roles in wooing some PDP governors to the APC and his readiness to sacrifice his presidential ambition for the progress of the party.
He is also said to have felt sidelined by the party, which sources close to him, said was no longer inviting him to key meetings at both state and national levels.
All the candidates he also backed for the state and national offices of the party were also said to have been dropped.
In addition, he was said to have been disappointed that the APC failed to mobilise sufficient support to block the impeachment of the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, whose stay in office till 2015 he considered critical to his chances of winning the governorship election in 2015.
But in his Tuesday’s Facebook post, which he addressed to his friends, Ribadu maintained that his defection to join the PDP was taken after careful consideration and was not done to hurt anybody’s feelings.
He was apparently forced to make his first comment on the defection in order to debunk statements credited to him as “disparaging” APC and its members, including Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano).
He denied making such statements.
Ribadu said, “I know how difficult it may be for you to come to terms with my defection to another party. But I must assure you that it’s a carefully considered decision for which I do not wish to hurt anyone’s feeling. I’ll not embark on a needless animosity with my good friends, irrespective of political, religious, regional and ethnic affiliations.
“Let me quickly make it known that I did not issue a statement disparaging APC and its members, including Governors Amaechi, Kwankwaso… These were clearly fabricated, expected backlash, by mischievous characters interested in misleading the public and drawing a picture of non-existent feuds between me and my good friends.
“My defection shouldn’t be seen as an initiation of political antagonism with my good friends in another party. I still hold them in high esteem, and even where there are marked differences, I believe there are decorous and honorable ways of resolving them. So, kindly disregard any statement said to be by me attacking the personality of any politician since my defection. I’ll never allow myself to be drawn into such disrespectful exchange.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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We like you and also like the work you did in the pass as EFCC chairman. Try your best to show a good work in Governorship in Adamawa state if you are given the chance so that you can succeed GEJ under PDP platform come 2019
ReplyDeleteWe wish you well in your new endevour. The political parties must learn to accept defeat after elections such that their members may be allowed to work with the ruling party, either in state or federal level. In this way, defection would not become imperative for a member before he can work with a ruling party.
ReplyDeleteI think the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is a republican serving under the ruling Democratic Party.
apc wl not accept that
ReplyDeleteMALLAM MALLAM, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CHILDISH EXCUSES FOR THE UNGUIDED MASSES OF NIGERIA TO SWALLOW. I AM NEITHER FOR APC OR PDP BUT IF THE TRUTH AND FACT MUST BE TOLD, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN POLITICS TO TOUCH PEOPLES LIVES. THERE ARE MANY NIGERIANS WHO ARE NOT A CARD CARRYING MEMBER OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY WHO ARE TOUCHING LIVES. YOU ARE CAREER PRESON AND YOU SHOULD HAVE USED THAT TO TRANSFORM LIVES. NOW THAT YOU WANT TO BE A GOVNOR, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE PEOPLE. MUST IT BE UNTIL YOU BE A GOVERNOR B4 YOU CAN TOUCH LIVES. THERE IS NO CORRUPTION THAT IS BIGGER THAN AN UNPRINCIPLED MAN, WHO CAN'T STAND BY HIS WORDS. MR RIBADU, POLITICS WILL RUBBISH YOU THE WAY ABIOLA, ETC WAS RUBBISHED AND THE WAY MRS IWEALA, OBY, SOLUDO, SANUSI ETC ARE BEING RUBBISED. THE SAME PEOPLE YOU REFERD TO AS THIEVES AND CRIMINAL WILL NOW BE YOUR EATING AND DRINKING MATES. NO PRINCIPLE. I AM SURE, IF ANOTHER PARTY WINS THE PRESIDENCY TOMORROW, OFF YOU DEFECT.
ReplyDeleteSO BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF EATING AND DRINKING WITH CORRUPT POLITICIANS GOOD PEOPLE SHOULD NOT ASPIRE to political office again? We might as well just give up and throw our hands in the air.
DeleteRibadu has joined nomadic politician.
DeleteNigerian politians has no ambition but their personal interest god forbide.
ReplyDeleteThe next for hypocrate is hellfire
ReplyDeleteI have lost a whole lot of respect for this man because of his defection. If he can do it to APC which he helped found, he can definitely do it to PDP at another point. Ribadu's action has hurt his reputation badly. By the way Abdul (2:22pm), John kerry has always been a Democrat, not a Republican.
ReplyDeleteRibadu you made a right decision! you are too good to associate yourself with boko haram party(APC)
ReplyDeleteSpare me all sentiments. Rotimi Amaechi's reputation was not affected when he left the PDP. Kwankwso, wammaco and co too. Politics is about permanent interest. APC is compromise of sorts. No one in APC is clean. Leave Ribadu alone.
ReplyDeleteBoy, the best is for you to eat with the devil with long spoon before you can develop superiority strategy , control or defeat and forced it to retreat.U are welcome boy go ahead and redeemed your people from the cancaworm of politics. There is alot to be done in Nigeria. Everybody want to spire as leader but the one cherish is that one that addresed the decay in the entire society.
ReplyDeleteIn Nigeria politics,there is no permanent enemy nor friend;Nigeria is a country full of unlawlessness and it will be illegal to be law abiding. Nuhu gear up,u re nt to be blamed.politics is a game of interest.
ReplyDeleteNuhu Ribadu; you don't need tell Nigerians why you defected to PDP. Nigerians already know it's a political calculation and gimmicks. PDP is so desperate to hold on to presidency come 2015, and so need someone the entire north will support. Your ambition is not to be the governor of your state but a running mate with president Jonathan in 2015. For sure you'll lose out in the primary election to pick the adamawa PDP governorship candidate. Then PDP will tell the whole world that they're compensating you with a VP ticket to run President Jonathan. VP Sambo will become the sacrificial lamb. Good plan.
ReplyDeleteMalam Ribadu: You really do not need to tell Nigerians reasons for defecting to PDP,as they already know. It's a perfect political calculations and gimmicks. Your ambition is not to serve as a governor in your state, but as a running mate to president Jonathan come 2015. PDP is so desperate to hold on to the presidency, and so need someone the entire north will support. The plan is that you'll lose out in the governorship primary, afterwhich PDP will tell the whole world that they're compensating you with a VP ticket as running to President Jonathan. The series of meeting between you and the PDP national chairman and sudden change of mind tell the whole story. Good and perfect plan. VP Sambo will become the sacrificial lamb.
ReplyDeleteRibadu has the constitutional right to defect to whichever party his chooses to associate with. As to whether he owes us a moral duty to explain his reasons for defection, I cannot tell. Having said that, I have come to realise that very few men live primarily for the good of others. The best of men have a good measure of selfish interest.
ReplyDeleteno honour till death!
ReplyDelete