Uba takes reassurance to Ibori in prison

06.01.2008

Contrary to a recent report that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was concerned about the controversial decision to send the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, to NIIPS, Kuru, as a way of ending his investigation and trial of those accused of the biggest public theft, Sunday Tribune reports authoritatively that the former president and his closest associates were not uninvolved in Ribadu’s plight.

A newspaper had reported last week that Obasanjo had spoken with President Umaru Yar’Adua to express his regrets about the decision announced by the Inspector General of Police. It was implied that Obasanjo would rather have Ribadu continue with his job. However, a top presidency source alleged that a “top secret” meeting was held in the Aso Rock Villa between a top member of the current presidency, Mr. James Onanefe Ibori, former Delta State Governor, a top official of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Andy Uba, Obasanjo’s former special assistant, and Ribadu, where it was agreed that Ibori would not be prosecuted.

Sunday Tribune gathered that the former president and the man who has been described as his ‘Man Friday’, Andy Uba, are happy that Ribadu would soon be out of the EFCC, given “secret” plan to go after his former principal and his aides, a resolve that they believe is already exhibited by the arrest and trial of Ibori. Our source revealed that the arrest and prosecution of the former governor of Delta State was “the last straw” for the former president and his associates. The source stated that Andy Uba’s visit to Ibori at the Kaduna prisons on Christmas Day, 25th December, 2007, was to “take good tidings” to Ibori that Ribadu would be out of office in the new year and Ibori’s next day in court this week would be the last time he would be “harassed” by the EFCC,

A different source close to Andy Uba revealed to Sunday Tribune that it was the triumvirate of Ibori, Uba and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the famous businessman and close ally of the former president, who formed the nucleus of those who allegedly raised money for President Yar’Adua’s election. The president, said the source, “cannot bite the finger that fed him”. This, the source, explained the “lack of tact” displayed by

the Attorney-General of the Federation, Andoakaa, in his public efforts to fight Ribadu’s EFCC and “protect” Ibori. A source close to the Aso Rock Villa disclosed to Sunday Tribune that contrary to widespread belief that Yar’Adua is committed to breaking his links with Obasanjo, Andy Uba, “is actually back in power, this time not as a genuflecting errand boy to the president, as he was under Obasanjo, but as a guardian.”

Obasanjo and Uba were said to have received intelligence report shortly before he left power which indicated that Ribadu, despite his “obeisance” to Obasanjo and even Uba:, had boasted that he was going to investigate and put on trial the former president and his “major hands” including Uba, Ibori, former Rivers governor, Peter Odili, and the former NNPC Managing director, Mr. Funso Kupolokun. However, Obasanjo was said to have doubted the veracity of the report, putting it down to the activities of those who hated the anti-corruption czar.

Our source disclosed further: “The problem was that Nuhu (Ribadu) could not be believed to do any such thing by Obasanjo. You needed to see how he used to crawl before even Andy Uba. He even used to say “sir” to Andy. Yet, the truth is, Nuhu was waiting to nail them all. But his problem is that he talks too much. After “Baba” left power, he told close friends that his happiest day would be when he threw all of them into jail.”

Sunday Tribune sources vowed that “under any condition James Ibori’s trial will be discontinued because it is impossible for Yar’Adua to allow that trial. He will be biting the finger that fed him”. It was disclosed to Sunday Tribune that apart from “the fact” that it was Ibori and Uba who convinced Obasanjo to “anoint” Yar’Adua as his successor, they were also the ones who persuaded the former president in January 2007 when he was doubting the candidacy of Yar’Adua.

Our source also alleged that it was Ibori who paid the N5 million fee to PDP to collect Yar’Adua’s nomination form. “There-fore”, said our source, “Ribadu seemed to have over-reached himself by going for Ibori and making those grave allegations to prevent the court from granting him bail. It was like going for the “Big Man” himself.”

Our source disclosed further that the plan of Uba and others who now have the ears of Yar’Adua is to ensure that the EFCC is merged with the ICPC under the headship of one retired Police officer. “And that will be the end of the corruption war”, added our source.