A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Sunday justified his defection from the opposion All Progressives Congress to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, saying the APC was not better than the PDP.
Ribadu, who was the 2011 presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, forerunner of the APC, said there was no difference between the PDP and APC, in terms of the character of the people who constituted both parties.
The ex-EFFC chairman, who spoke through his spokesman, Mr. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said this while fielding questions from one of our correspondents in Abuja.
He said, “In Nigeria, especially in politics, you can’t say that this is an exclusive party for the people who are thieves or this is for good people.
“It’s just like saying that all Yorubas are this or all Igbos are this. In every group of people, there must be good people and there are bad people. Of course, the good may be more than the bad or the bad may be more than the good in any group.
“But there is no any party that is exclusively for the good people or for the bad people.”
He said that his defection was not borne out of his desperation to realise his political ambition but was based on his patriotic zeal to serve the country and its people.
Abdulaziz said, “It is not true that he (Ribadu) was desperate to realise his political ambition. This is because this decision was taken in the overriding interest of serving the people.
“What matters for him is service. That is why even when he was a member of the opposition party, when government asked him to serve the country, he accepted the offer and he did a wonderful job that everybody hailed except those who don’t want change in the system.
“If you are ready to serve the people, sometimes you will have to do something that is not even palatable to yourself.”
But one of Ribadu’s close political associates in Yola told one of our correspondents that Ribadu’s defection had more to do with his governorship ambition and the alleged failure of the APC to give him the expected support and compensate him for his “sacrifices” for the party.
The source said part of Ribadu’s sacrifices, which he said the APC had failed to reciprocate, was his offer to step down for the then presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 election and also his role in “wooing some governors to join the APC”.
The source linked Ribadu’s defection to his unresolved grievances against the APC, which the source made the ex-presidential candidate to succumb to pressure mounted on him by people, including the Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu; Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and a Principal Secretary in the Presidency, Hassan Tukur, to join the PDP.
“If you are ready to serve the people, sometimes you will have to do something that is not even palatable to yourself.”
ReplyDeleteAKIKA
Very inarticulate, deceitful statement. Ribadu has just done what is popularly said - "if you can't beat them, join them". Good luck and serve well well, after serving your pocket.
DeleteI see more defections coming cos APC is a party built on complaints and they never see anything good in anybody or in the country except them. Is that how to change things?
ReplyDeleteAM still shocked. na wah oh, all these noise just to go and join PDP at last. Ribadu eating his vomit, what a shame!
ReplyDeleteTime'll tell. The interesting thing abt God is dat He's a careful listener nd what u promise u'll do, if u're honest abt it, He'll help u but if u disappoint Him, He'll frustrate u. Malam Ribadu pls remember u're going 2 serve, nd not 2 be served. Make honesty ur best policy nd God'll help u.
ReplyDeleteSo defection automatically means governor??? Hmmm
DeleteMarwa is waiting for him in Adamawa. Even if he losses election in Adamawa, he may be compensated with a political appointment. You are all the same. Fighting for your pocket. Its all about personal interest. Selfish people.
ReplyDeleteLol .@AKIKA.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is simple and straight forward. The man wants to be governor and the easiest vehicle for such enterprise is the PDP.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. well, as long as PDP does not rig the election on your behalf in Adamawa state, we fit endure. Adamawa has suffered too much and deserves a true leader, we are being left behind.
ReplyDeleteRibadu does not need to rig an election in adamawa to win! He is the best candidate for the job and i praise his courage for leaving the party of jokers for the real deal. ACN betrayed him once and he has learnt his lesson
Deletei wonder all u've said about PDP in the past , and what make you remain in APC all this while and you never mention all you are saying now. Time shall tell
ReplyDeleteThis is a man of no principle. He is what some people are calling political prostitute. What is your goal Ribadu? I don't care for either party but at least be true to your principal. Our judgment day is approaching in Nigeria that we know now. 2015 election will settle all this rankling and dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteThere is no permanent friend nd permanent enemy in politicss it you were in His position you will do the sme .ride on you re on the right trck .you re busines minded person don't mind jokers Rotimi mechi will soon defect to PDP .
ReplyDelete99% of Nigerian Politicians are shameless! Try to be among 1% to enjoy soft landing before Almighty God.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a dream that the owner of these two expressions will join the same party he was referring to. But that was Mallam Nuhu Ribadu accusing PDP.
“No, we are seeing what is happening in our country; this is a rich country. Twelve years, do you know how much we generated as a country? We earned more than $400 billion; that money is enough to change Nigeria, that money is wasted, that money is with PDP, they messed it up. This is a country that in twelve years they brought bombs to us, they brought kidnapping to us. We didn’t know all those things. You cannot say twelve years is too small for you to work, that is totally unfair,”
“Those who are in charge of us messed it up, destroyed our possibility and chance for us to build a country that all of us will be proud of.. Nigerians want electricity, Nigerians want good health care delivery and at the same time good schools. Those are the basic things we are talking about. If we are unable to provide those things through the peaceful process, then you cannot rule out the possibility of what is happening in the Middle East happening here”.