1 week ago
28
Watch these two men closely: they are talkers and tacklers. They are like dead ringers. Their true nature is hidden behind a facade of charm, charisma and manipulation. While one seems smarter than the other, more like the proverbial “Judas Goat”, somewhat like a betrayal, both are opportunists. At the beginning of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, a question was asked in the media: ‘Who is Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, and a handful of other new entrants into our national politics? Matter of fact, it was a legitimate question, perhaps asked out of curiosity, particularly when someone’s name pops up in public consciousness like a silent mystery.
Until 2000, some of the names, among them, El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, were in a manner of speaking, unknown political quantities. This is in spite of the fact that both of them are, by every standard, very outspoken and intelligent. They can dissect issues brilliantly in a coherent manner for even a neophyte to understand. But these two men are error -prone. They don’t zip their mouths when they talk. They are gadflies. For them, politics can be defined as “power is where power goes”. Let’s look closely at these men – El-Rufai – and Nuhu Ribadu. El-Rufai became a ‘rising star ‘ by cozying up to some powerful and influential politicians. He didn’t achieve it on his own.
Truth is, in politics, like many other areas of life, almost everybody becomes somebody through someone. Former vice President Atiku Abubakar opened the political doors for El-Rufai to enter. Soon, El-Rufai became a constant mention, and with the endorsement of Atiku who commanded a big influence then as the Head of National Privatisation Council under the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, El-Rufai was appointed the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises(BPE). But as soon as he got on top of the tree, El-Rufai allegedly betrayed Atiku. Is he a serial betrayer, a Judas Goat? He has also been accused of betraying Muhammadu Buhari, Olusegun Obasanjo, and now President Tinubu Lesson : Never forget who helped you while everyone else was making excuses. People who used other people as stepping stones and betrayed them will one day lose their balance. That’s a time-tested advice that many people have ignored to their own peril. In management parlance, El-Rufai suffered from what’s called “the smartest-kid-in the class syndrome”. It’s an occupational disease of people who think they ‘know- it-all’. In fact, the roads that El-Rufai have walked in politics, give little for comfort.
Indeed, a pain cry always goes up each time his name is mentioned. It’s not for nothing. Controversy dogs every of his step. It’s about his betrayal of friends. This defect in his character often sets off the alarm bells. For example, in his memoir, titled: “My Work”, vol. 2, pages 412-413, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said of El-Rufai, “a leader must know the character and ability of his subordinates. Character-wise, Nasir El-Rufai has not much going for him. My vivid recollection of him is his penchant for lying, his unfair embellishment of stories and his inability to sustain loyalty for long”. This assessment of El-Rufai coming from Obasanjo whose administration he served in key positions, including as Minister, Federal Capital Territory, should be taken as a stinking testimonial, capable of disqualifying anyone seeking for higher position in future. But Nigerian politics is not like that. It’s one human endeavour where the worst persons excel. El-Rufai had since served for 8 years as Governor of Kaduna State. Shockingly, he has fallen apart with his handpicked successor and political godson, Governor Uba Sani. El-Rufai’s administration is currently under probe, and his eldest son, Mohammed, a lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, has thrown his weight behind the probe of his father.
Who says Nigeria’s politics is not a fun to follow ? Gov Sani says his administration has not been able to pay workers’ salaries because his government inherited a hefty $587 million, N85bn debts, and 115 contractual liabilities from his predecessor, El-Rufai. Could all of this be Karma for El-Rufai? Karma has a way of telling your side of the story more than you ever could. Just last week, El-Rufai ignited yet another controversy when he accused the ruling APC of poor leadership. “I no longer recognise APC”, he said at a national conference in Abuja with a focus on strengthening democracy in the country. He said the party has strayed from its founding ideals. The party has since hit back. But that has opened a new chapter. Let’s turn to Nuhu Ribadu, pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and current National Security Adviser(NSA) to President Tinubu, who El-Rufai called a ‘liar’ for denying ever accusing Tinubu of corruption. Like El-Rufai, Ribadu is not a stranger to controversy. He tolerates drama well. And he has seen a lot of that in his many years of public service. He denies he ever called Tinubu a “looter” while he was EFCC chairman. This was in response to claims by El-Rufai and a former Commissioner at the Police Service Commission, Ms.Naja’atu Mohammed, that records of proceedings in the Senate and Federal Executive Council in September 2006, showed that Ribadu accused Tinubu of corruption. On the contrary, Ribadu who, through his lawyer, Ahmed Raji(SAN) has demanded a public apology and retraction from El-Rufai and Ms.Naja’atu, told journalist, Ms.Kadira Ahmed some years back, “I didn’t call Tinubu a looter, what I said was that Tinubu’s case was a case involving international dimension”. He went on to praise Tinubu as a promoter of democracy”, adding that he would not “sit in judgement against people”. This much is clear about Ribadu. His record in public office can be described fittingly as “the rise, fall and rise again”. It can be turned into a box office documentary for Nollywood movie. Again, it’s not for nothing.
As EFCC chairman(2003-2007), he had in his possession a trove of secrets about Nigeria’s most powerful politicians and business moguls. He reported only to the President at the time – Obasanjo. He bypassed all bureaucratic processes within the security hierarchy and the civil service. At that time, the fear of Ribadu was the “beginning of wisdom”. If in doubt, ask the former Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun, whom he investigated, tried and convicted. Tafa was forced to forfeit billions of naira allegedly stolen from public treasury. Many political elites in the country celebrated when Ribadu’s star fizzled out following his suspension from office through a letter by the then Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro.
Years later, a court decision reversed his suspension. But he couldn’t reclaim his position at EFCC. His hubric is that of a talker and a mean tackler. He paid the price. But like river phoenix, he has risen again from the ashes, this time as NSA, one of the most prized political appointments in Nigeria. Nobody, it seems, messes around with Ribadu. If you are in doubt, ask former Governor of Delta state James Ibori. His evidence against Ibori riveted local and international attention. He nailed Ibori before before a British Crown court in London in 2013. He told the court how Ibori tried to bribe him with $15 million in cash to halt fraud investigation against him.
Ribadu claimed that the large, black sack containing the money was so “heavy that it could not be carried by one person”. He said he pretended to have accepted the bribe, but instead, instructed that it should be taken to the CBN so that it could be used as evidence against Ibori. “Ibori was very desperate to terminate the investigation”, Ribadu submitted to the London Crown Court, with photographs of the boxes of the slush cash tendered as exhibits. Ibori had since served his jail term and back in the country. His political influence, especially in Delta state, doesn’t seem to have diminished much, if at all. In October 2013, Ribadu told the British Broadcasting Service(BBC) that a total of $380 million was either stolen or wasted by Nigerian politicians since independence. How far his standoff with El-Rufai will go is anybody’s guess. Both are warriors in what they believe in. But, all told, it’s all about convenience, and less on principle.
English (US) ·