February 05, (THEWILL) – Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday, knocked the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, saying he is suffering serious amnesia.
El-Rufai’s remarks follows an earlier comment by Hajia Naja’atu Mohammed, a social activist and a former director in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), in the 2023 general elections, who accused Ribadu of once labelling President Bola Tinubu as a most corrupt politician.
Hajia Naja’atu in a Tiktok video berated Ribadu for serving in Tinubu’s government, whom he castigated when he was the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Alongside Tinubu, she also said Ribadu castigated Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and others, he had accused of being among the most corrupt Nigerians.
While Ribadu claimed the allegation is malicious, he demanded a public apology and retraction within seven days. In a letter sent to Muhammad on Tuesday, through his lawyer, Ahmed Raji, the NSA warned that if Mohammad failed to apologise and retract the video, he would be forced to take legal actions against her.
The letter reads: “Clearly, in the text of your recording you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, he allegedly named President Bola Tinubu alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (all former Governors, and in that order) as the Governors in Nigeria, who stole the most from public treasury.
“You also stated that today, our client, who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu has turned around to be his staunchest defender; especially, with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.
“You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu and other governors as thieves. Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.
“In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the President; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him. In the foregoing premise, our client hereby challenges you to provide evidence of your allegations therein against him; which have cast him as double-faced, duplicitous and deceitful in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
“Although masked as a clarion call to the North to rise up to your perceived injustice against the North by the government of the day, your publication is also inciteful of violence towards our client. Given this far-reaching ramification of your publication, our client will not sit back and watch his hard-earned reputation and goodwill destroyed by your malicious decision to not only lay false allegations against him, but also, to cause the same to be published for the world’s attention.
“Your intention to bring our client to public ridicule, opprobrium, scorn and shame etc., is laid bare when it is considered that you deliberately caused same to be published on social media, where it has since gone viral. Surely, the damage occasioned to our client by your deliberate but ill-advised action is unquantifiable.
“However, our client will be assuaged if you retract the said publication and tender an unreserved public apology to him in at least five national daily newspapers within seven days of receipt of this letter. If not, we have our client’s further instructions to seek redress against you in a court of law where exemplary damages will be claimed against you. Kindly be advised.”
However, while Mohammad has insisted that she stands by her comments and has dared Ribadu to do his worst, El-Rufai has also rallied behind her by providing evidence from an old newspaper publication where the NSA allegedly made the statement.
In a post he shared on his X page on Wednesday, El-Rufai said Ribadu must be suffering from amnesia since his comments in 2006 on the three former governors are still in public domain.
In the post titled “POLITICAL UPDATE: Najaatu Mohammed vs. Nuhu Ribadu – Nuhu must have serious amnesia’, the former Kaduna governor said, “Najaatu’s statement is accurate. The record of proceedings in the Senate will confirm that Nuhu made those statements, sometime in 2006.
“The subsequent Daily Trust report below of February 2007, reconfirms the essence of the statements.
“The conclusions of the Federal Executive Council in 2006, which can be subpoenaed from the Cabinet Secretariat of the SGF’s office contain the allegations. In that Special FEC meeting in which I was a member, Nuhu’s EFCC made similar presentations accusing many sitting officials, sometime in 2006. These Council Conclusions will further remove all doubts.
“This is for the record and to remind the morally-flexible that at some point in our national life, silence is no longer golden.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
