By: Bayero Ade
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of lying about not accusing President Bola Tinubu of corruption during his tenure as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). El-Rufai also suggested that Ribadu may be suffering from “memory loss.”
According to Afripost, the controversy erupted after Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, a former commissioner with the Police Service Commission, claimed in a TikTok video that Ribadu had labeled President Tinubu, Senators George Akume, and Orji Uzor Kalu as highly corrupt during his time with the EFCC.
In response, Ribadu’s lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, demanded a public apology and retraction, arguing that the accusations were unfounded and damaged Ribadu’s reputation. Raji’s letter to Muhammad challenged her to provide evidence for her claims, asserting that Ribadu had never made such statements about Tinubu and the other politicians.
El-Rufai, who served as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister in 2006 when the alleged corruption accusations were made, dismissed Ribadu’s denial. He referenced official Senate records and minutes from Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings as evidence that Ribadu had indeed accused Tinubu and other former governors of corruption.
El-Rufai pointed out that the records from the Senate and a 2007 report by Daily Trust would corroborate the allegations. He further added that conclusions from FEC meetings in 2006 would further support the claims made by Ribadu’s EFCC, which had accused several high-ranking officials of corruption at the time.
The former governor emphasized that while opinions may evolve, it is important to address discrepancies in public statements instead of staying silent. Efforts to reach Ribadu for comment were unsuccessful, as neither he nor his spokesperson could be contacted.
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