An interview with Nigeria's Mr Anti-Corruption


A RECENT issue of The Economist examined the presidential bid of Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s former anti-corruption chief. Mr Ribadu made his name as the first head of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003. In this role, he pursued politicians and civil servants who were embezzling the energy revenues of Africa’s biggest oil and gas producer

Mr Ribadu’s fortunes dipped when Umaru Yar’Adua took office as president in 2007. The sleazebuster was sidelined and later fled the country, returning only after Mr Yar’Adua’s death in May this year. He now hopes to run for the top job himself in elections due in early 2011.

Baobab talked to Mr Ribadu about whether he would be able to run a clean campaign in Nigeria’s often murky political scene.

Baobab: Why have you decided to run for president next year?

Nuhu Ribadu: I understand now that to bring about change I need political power at the highest level. That means the presidency. I have worked under a president, and many say we did a good job at the EFCC, but when change came [and a new president took office] all our work was destroyed. It was all reversed.”

Baobab: How will you use presidential power to continue your fight against corruption?

NR: Just appointing me will be half the answer. When people see me, they will sit up and know that the era of corruption is over. On the practical level, I will run a transparent government that publishes accounts online. I will create “whistleblower laws” to protect the identities of those who expose corruption. I will reform the police and the judiciary.

Corruption causes all the problems that we have here. It causes the poverty and the insecurity. And there is no one better qualified to address the problem of corruption in this country than me.

Baobab: Nigerian political campaigns are costly affairs that often rely on the sponsorship of unsavoury characters. Can you run a clean campaign in a dirty system? For example, will you probe your sponsors to find out the sources of their wealth?

NR: Everything about me has always been clean and this will be a clean campaign, in any case, I will not need as much money as other parties because I am not going to bribe anyone. My campaign is about winning over people with my ideas, not my money.

But I will not probe anybody. I am not the EFCC chairman here - I am a politician who is trying to get people to support me. If money is coming to change a system that needs change, why should [the source] matter? Why try to destroy this opportunity?

Baobab: You have chosen to run against the ruling People's Democratic Party with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Some Nigerian are raising eyebrows at this choice. Bola Tinubu, one of the ACN’s most powerful members, has been under EFCC investigation for years. Does this concern you?

NR: You should not worry about individuals when you are working on a project of this magnitude. It might affect the outcome, I am convinced that the mission we are out to do is not about an individual.

Baobab: Your critics also note that you have never held political office before. Why not serve as a senator or governor for one term, and then run for president in 2015?

NR: We can’t wait for 2015. Nigeria's problems must be arrested immediately. There is no way we can allow this mess to continue. Also, for the first time, the ruling party is in real trouble. Goodluck Jonathan [the incumbent] is from a very small ethnic group, Sadly, even if he were the best person for the job, northern Nigeria would never accept it. He is not electable.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2010/11/interview_nihu_ribadu

Hear Ribadu, "Sadly, even if he were the best person for the job, northern Nigeria would never accept it. He is not electable".

This is a shame and with this alone, Mr Ribadu is not electable. We don't need people like him as at this time. The chips are down and the guy is showing his true colours. We need Nationalists, not ethnic warlords.

Dear Nigerians, be wise, be vigilant.

dude before nko? Nigeria belongs to the hausa 19 states out of 36 is more than half minus Fct which over 60% inhabitants are northerners

^^^
Not all northerners as hausa. There are over 50+(to be modest)ethnic groups in the north. Hausas are just one of them.

I'm not in support of Ribadu's presidential bid but nontheless I'm a big fan of the Mallam.
I do not see how his statement translates to a basis for calling him an ethnic warlord. He was simply referring to the bandwagon effect that is so common in Northern Nigeria than anywhere else in the country, so in theory Northerners would only vote for a fellow Northerner when the chips are down and without a full majority ethnic backing in the north or south, Gej is unelectable. He sure sounds naive though, but branding him an Ethnic Warlord seems completely absurd.

toba:

dude before nko? Nigeria belongs to the hausa 19 states out of 36 is more than half minus Fct which over 60% inhabitants are northerners

Which 19 states? Hausa have like 6 or 7, not 19.

Also, citation for the last statement? I might be able to believe 60% of the pop in Abuja is North + Middle Belt, but can almost guarantee that it isn't 60% Hausa. A lot of middle belt ethnic groups in Nigeria speak Hausa as a 2nd language, but this doesn't make them Hausa.

I've only been to Abuja for a few weeks before, but I didn't get the same impression as you.

What Ribadu is saying is what we have all known for years about the North, but that does not mean that he shares that view.

And by the way, Ribadu represents change. We have been stuck with this unproductive party for 12years, my people is it not prudent for us to seek change?

Change is Good, and the Time is Now. Vote out PDP

wesley80:

I'm not in support of Ribadu's presidential bid but nontheless I'm a big fan of the Mallam.
I do not see how his statement translates to a basis for calling him an ethnic warlord. He was simply referring to the bandwagon effect that is so common in Northern Nigeria than anywhere else in the country, so in theory Northerners would only vote for a fellow Northerner when the chips are down and without a full majority ethnic backing in the north or south, Gej is unelectable. He sure sounds naive though, but branding him an Ethnic Warlord seems completely absurd.

maybe he is naive, but every brand new day, we are exposed to the ugly truth that Nigeria is not working as a country. That the Northern Southern divide is a reality. If such could come from Ribadu, then nobdoy should attack IBB, Atiku and their likes over the zone thing.

Yet, me thinks that the best is for us to renegotiate Nigeria now. The images of 2011 looks scary.

Here we go again.
What Nigerian isn't?

Who are you trying to deceive?
Nigeria is full of tribalists.
Damn right. . .be vigilant of ALL.