blacksta:

former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, on Friday in Lagos, opened up a can of worms over his sour relationship with the former Chairman of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Ibori, who addressed media executives at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, accused Ribadu of waging a campaign of calumny against him because he refused to facilitate his becoming the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

He said the ex-EFCC boss was also angry with him because he refused to be recruited by Ribadu for a planned crusade for the annulment of the 2007 presidential election won by Umaru Yar’Adua.

Ibori, who said he remained a loyal friend of Ribadu in spite of his hard stance on his person, alleged that the former anti-graft chief decided to launch a bitter campaign to humiliate him because he did not succumb to his personal ambition.

“I can say without any fear of contradiction that I have and hope I still have a good relationship with the erstwhile Chairman of the EFCC even though he now denies that he is a friend. I am a Christian and will not deny him.

“Very many times, he tried to get me to assist him in one way or the other, including his desire to become the Inspector General of Police. In his approach, he posited that in his estimation and knowledge of Nigerian politics, I was one of those who could help him achieve it.

Ibori alleged that Ribadu solicited the cooperation of judges and INEC officials to annul the 2007 presidential election, which he (Ibori) did not subscribe to.

“On another occasion, he attempted to recruit me to join a crusade to annul the presidential election of 2007. In fact, he promised that I if did, he would not file charges against me and would not prosecute me.

“I told him to give me time to reflect on it. But it would be stupid of me to have bought into his blackmail, so I ignored him. When he then realised that I was not succumbing to his cheap blackmail, he decided to go ahead with his plan of humiliating me,” Ibori alleged.

To corroborate his allegation of calumny against him, Ibori said an observer had alerted him in November 2007 while attending the United Nations session with the Nigerian delegation in New York that Ribadu planned to frame him that he attempted to give him a $15 million bribe.

Accordingly, he said he put a call through to Ribadu who, according to the former governor, denied the allegation.

“Interestingly, he himself has contradicted his statement severally with regards to the alleged bribe especially in his statement in the English court,” Ibori claimed.

He alleged that Ribadu’s grudge against him was also because he insisted on due process in the charges filed against at a Kaduna High Court but which was later transferred to Benin, Edo State.

He stated, “My lawyers challenged both the detention, the jurisdiction of the court and the seizure of my passports, all of which were vigorously argued at the lower court and at the appeal court.

“It was finally resolved at the appeal court where the court agreed with my lawyers that the jurisdiction where the alleged crime was committed is the Benin Division. The appeal court also granted the release of my passport.”

“All of this, I think, did not go down well with the erstwhile EFCC chairman. Since my arrest, detention and eventual prosecution, my team of lawyers have consistently assured me that I will be fully exonerated because there is no evidence to support the charges.”

The former governor said it was not in his character to take issue with people on the pages of newspapers but had to open up now following pressures from political associates, friends, colleagues and well-wishers to react a rash of negative publicity.

He also delved into his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, alleging that he fell out with the former leader because he opposed his bid to for a second term in office in 2003.

He stated that after PDP governors had resolved not to back Obasanjo for second term, the onus was on him to convey the decision to the hen PDP National Chairman, Chief Audu ogheh.

According to Ibori, the action of the PDP governor was because of the perceived dictatorial, vindictive and unforgiving spirit of the former president.

He said his decision to convey the resolution of his former colleages, coupled with his uncompromising stand on resource control caused him a hitherto cordial relationship with Obasanjo.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/26092009/news/news2.html

Can you imagine, the guy is still addressing media men from a hotel, shouldn't he be addressing them from kirikiri ?

This guy is a joker it is now that he comes out to say this. He is just looking for excuses that is all. Also he says Ribadu came after him when he refused to help him talk to Yaradua but i tot he had been on trial since Obasanjo era

back2back:

indeed. who was the chief financier of Yaradua election!

surely, Ribadu is not tell us the truth!

what is Bode and Annenih still doing walking around free?

Nigeria needs more than just a coward noise maker to see great things again.