Rabiu's scamble

As preparation for the forthcoming governorship
election in Adamawa intensifies, the two major
political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party
[PDP], and the All Progressives Congress [APC] –
are wooing a former Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC,] Nuhu Ribadu,
to run for governor on their platforms.
Although Mr. Ribadu is a member of the APC,
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the ruling PDP and
some interest groups in his native Adamawa state
have stepped up lobby to win the former anti-graft
chief over to the ruling party.
This newspaper learnt authoritatively that President
Goodluck Jonathan, through one of his closest
aides, Hassan Tukur, has made overtures to Mr.
Ribadu to cross over to the ruling party.
The National Chairman of the party, Ahmed Muazu,
as well as a former Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, Aliyu Modibbo, who are long-time friends
of the former EFCC chairman, are also said to be
pestering Mr. Ribadu to dump the APC.
Top PDP sources also told this newspaper that the
Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; a former
Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria,
Akin Osuntokun; and a former Minister of Aviation,
Femi Fani-Kayode (who recently defected to the
ruling party) might also be enlisted to pressure the
anti-corruption activist to join the PDP.
Elections will be held in Mr. Ribadu’s Adamawa
State in about three months following the
impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako by
the state assembly.
The lawmakers accuse him of financial
mismanagement and gross misconduct, allegations
the impeached governor rejected.
Almost immediately after Mr. Nyako’s
impeachment, the fortunes of the APC nosedived
dramatically in the state. Virtually all elected and
appointed officials in the state, who had joined the
former governor to defect to the opposition party
last year, returned to the PDP.
From commissioners to local government chairmen
and to councillors, almost all officials have pledged
loyalty to Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri while also
announcing their defection to the PDP.
Impeachment fallout, frustrations
Mr. Ribadu is yet to comment on the speculation
that he might soon switch to the PDP. One of his
aides said he is still consulting on the matter.
But analysts say it should not be entirely surprising
if the anti-corruption activist eventually dumped his
party and accepted the invitation of the ruling party.
Party insiders say the former presidential candidate
has had a longstanding frustration with his party
and the way it is run.
Mr. Ribadu was one of the few APC chieftains who
stood by Mr. Nyako during his impeachment
travails.
An associate of the former EFCC chairman said
after the embattled Adamawa governor was
removed, Mr. Ribadu complained to close friends
that Mr. Nyako fell because the APC national
leadership did not rally round him strongly enough.
“Ribadu worked so hard and nearly saved the
former governor because he was able to convince
some members of the state Assembly to withdraw
their support for the impeachment,” the associate
said. “ If he had gotten the support of the national
leadership of the party, all they needed was one
more member and the impeachment would have
collapsed.”
The associate, who asked not be named so as not
to anger Mr. Ribadu for disclosing details of private
conversations, said the former ACN presidential
candidate complained that the APC behaved like a
party that does not care about its members in
trouble.
The source said at that point, Mr. Ribadu became
deeply frustrated at the development in Adamawa
that he contemplated withdrawing from politics
entirely.
His commitment to the APC was shaken, the
associate said.
Mr. Nyako now out of the way, Mr. Ribadu became
the most formidable candidate the APC can present
in the forthcoming governorship election in the
state, but various sources suggested former Vice
President Atiku Abubakar, who is a leader of the
party in the state, is not a fan of the former EFCC
chairman and that both men are finding it difficult
working together.
“As you know Ribadu once wrote a report indicting
Turaki for corruption,” an official of the Adamawa
State chapter of the APC told this newspaper. “Both
men have yet to forget that episode and it is unlikely
Ribadu will be comfortable working with the former
VP in the same party.”
Another factor that may influence Mr. Ribadu’s
decision on whether to heed the PDP’s call or not is
the way the APC is run.