Ribadu returning to APC: Coming home of a child of destiny

By TOM GARBA, Yola

THERE are not better words, better terms and better encomiums of the personality of Malam Nuhu Ribadu than to simply describe him as a fearless young man who astute qualities of good leadership has showcased him to be among the few Nigerians committed to change the country for good no matter the pains.

His tasteless conscious against the corrupt nature of many Nigerians occupying various was known he was the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a commission tasked with the duty of countering corruption and fraud.

Under Ribadu’s administration as the EFCC Chairman, the Commission charged prominent bankers, commissioners of Police, Former as well as serving State Governors, Ministers, Senate Presidents, high-ranking political party members, and perpetrators of
advance fee fraud to court. The Commission also issued thousands of indictments and secured over 250 convictions. The most notable among the cases was that of the former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, who incidentally was Ribadu’s Boss.

The Police Boss, who was convicted, jailed and made to return £150 million under a plea bargain.

It was under Ribadu’s administration as the EFCC that the following feats were achieved:
These efforts was rare and it can only be fine found on a Man with a gifted good intentions to safe our dear country from the evil hands of wicked leaders.

Political journey of Ribadu
Nuhu Ribadu is more of a born Politician than a Police officer, a career he built through the dint of hard work to have retired as an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).
His Father Muhammadu Mahmud Ribadu, was among the “Junior “Nationalist in the North that struggled alongside Ahmadu Bello (Sardaunan Sokoto),Tafawa Balewa to have a Nigeria as a country. He later became the first Defence Minister in the first republic.

Good people they are few, and mostly became prone to enmity of many bad people. Immediately he retired became the most wanted enemy of his enemies, caused him to be a fugitive in a foreign.

ALSO SEE: Former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu dumps PDP for APC

In the year 2010 he returned to Nigeria and declared his intention to contest for the position of the President of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). On Friday, January 14, 2011, an opposition Party he adopted as the Presidential candidate having the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tobin, Purging, Babatunde Raji Fashola. A party that metamorphosed to the present ruling party after a strong alliance that merged up with other like minds Parties to what is now as All Progressives Congress (APC).

Though he gallantly lost out to then ruling Party (PDP) but kept the fate in the struggle to built a good political tents for young Nigerians who are looking up to him for a better Nigerian.

Nuhu political life, nature and even struggles is closely liking to President Muhammadu Buhari by many owing to school of thoughts, this is because of the many similarities they share in common, their kind of persons of being forthright (Honesty), fighting the cause of the downtrodden (Human Rights activists), detribalized, non sentimental of all sorts and having only a passion to grow Nigeria not individuals or entities.

The returning of Nuhu from exile in 2010 has given him the opportunity to fully participate in politics, being the good person he is, he became the most sorted for by the then political party in power (PDP) and the then opposition, the present party In power but his political fate penduls to PDP.

In August 2014, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the intention to run for the Governorship of Adamawa State, were he gallantly lost to All Progressives Congress, APC.

The return of Ribadu to APC
In Adamawa state it is a long anticipation of many people who so much believe in the Buhari style of leadership and the APC slogan, the mantra of change syndrome singing in the lips of many Nigerians: To Change Nigeria from bad to good, from shackles of bad governance as a result of bad people in power.

To them Nuhu is a big catch that will help in making APC strong not only In Adamawa state but Nigeria as a whole.

No matter the feelings and the Political calculation of many that probably are not comfortable with his return, may be is wrong to say that they are indeed the enemies of democracy and spoilers of Nigeria constitution.

ALSO SEE: Dasukigate: Ribadu says he never refunded money, rumour unfounded

As one of the stakeholders of APC in Adamawa State who processed and engineered the return of former Governor Murtala Nyako to the party Dr. Umar Duhu said “every Adult Nigeria has the right to join any Political Party as it’s enshrined in the constitution “.

According to him reference to Fundamental Human Rights (Right to Peaceful Assembly and Association); Chapter 4.40 of 1999 Constitution as Amended: That one has a freedom to associate and form an association, freedom of thought and conscious to join or practice any religion, freedom of speech etc.

“When I held swear as the Pioneer National Vice Chairman North East, I voluntarily registered the duo into APC at no stress. Now is the right of others to rejoin where they original are a part of its conception and Formation.

Meanwhile, in the storm of politicking by some stakeholders to prevent Ribahu’s return to the APC in Adamawa, a stakeholder had argued; “Our leaders know the Nigerian Constitution very well, and I will be most disappointed if any one of these leaders will stub low be a stop gap in the entry of any member into the great APC, the Party still on Noah’s Voyage.”

Others like Adamu Garbajo who were the arrow heads in mobilizing support for President Buhari in the North East, also contended that, “anyone against anybody to form a progressive union is an enemy of democracy.”

Apparently, the return of Ribadu is widely celebrated as a “welcome home, welcome to APC his original home of abode.”