RIBADU: Ibori set to take pound of flesh - Penetrates Reps for his probe

Idowu Samuel & Bola Badmus - 06.01.2008

Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, has started a counter offensive against the Chairman of Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, having instigated the National Assembly to initiate a probe against him.

The House of Representatives is to anchor the probe, the idea of which is coming from members of the Integrity Group. The Integrity Group members have started regrouping to kick-start the process.

This development is, however, coming on the heels of pressure being mounted on the Senate President to prevent Ribadu from being sent on leave as approved by the authorities of the Nigerian Police and President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Sunday Tribune learnt exclusively that Ibori had already penetrated members of the Integrity Group from the South- south, most of whom have been showing open sympathy for him on his ordeal with the EFCC.

The former governor of Delta State had been quoted in the media as vowing to take his pound of flesh from Ribadu whom he strongly believes has been the architect of his journey to detention.

Ibori, Sunday Tribune learnt, has also been collecting information from across the world on possible areas where Ribadu had soiled his hands. The purpose, according to insiders in the governor’s camp, is to prove that the EFCC boss has never been a saint.

Some members of the Integrity Group, who spoke in confidence with Sunday Tribune in Abuja, confirmed the plan by the House to probe Ribadu, disclosing that the members would even address a press conference on their proposed action within two weeks after resuming for legislative works.

The Integrity Group led by Honourable Farouk Lawan hit the limelight late last year in the wake of the contract scam involving the Speaker, Honourable Patricia Olubunmi Etteh and other principal officers of the House.

The group had initiated the process of Etteh’s removal from office on the basis of the contract scam, and had shown strong commitment to the idea of removing her as the Speaker by consistently mobilising their colleagues for the plot which raged for more than four months in the House.

One of the lawmakers in the group told Sunday Tribune that members had started gathering facts and figures on Ribadu’s slips as the Chairman of the EFCC, all that would detail his misdemeanors as the number one apostle of anti-corruption in Nigeria.

There are indications that the proposed probe of the EFCC chairman would draw strong support from the presidency ,following a hint by legislators that part of the facts that would be used against Ribadu would be supplied by top government officials.

The Deputy Speaker, Honourable Bayero Nafada, had earlier said that the National Assembly could not help Ribadu by reversing the decision by the Police to send him on a one year compulsory course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru.

Nafada had explained that the National Assembly was handicapped on the Ribadu’s case on the basis of Rule of Law, adding that President Yar’Adua had earlier demonstrated commitment to the Principle of Rule of Law by refraining from interfering in the crisis in the House which eventually consumed the Speaker.

However, Sunday Tribune also learnt that some lobbyists in support of Ribadu have hit the senate with intent to convince members to intervene by advising President Yar’Adua to have a rethink on sending Ribadu on course.

The argument by the lobbyists, Sunday Tribune learnt is anchored on the feat credited to Ribadu as the EFCC chairman and the possibility that the zeal in the Commission for fighting corruption in Nigeria may reduce with his exit.

The Senate President is said to be skeptical about intervening on behalf of Ribadu for the same reason earlier adduced by the Deputy Speaker of the House that since the President has not been interfering in the National Assembly matters, it would be wrong for the federal parliament to be doing so against the executive.