BY MARTIN NWABINELI

MALAM Nuhu Ribadu is one of the interesting personalities that this present political dispensation has revealed. He is presently the presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria which is  the second largest party in Nigeria. The ACN controls four states via judicial activism and a large chunk of the membership of the National and state assemblies. It also controls a fair share of the local governments in the country.

As such, you would be neglecting NuhuRibadu at your own peril. So, how did NuhuRibadu transform to be the “leader” of one of the most powerful political parties in Nigeria? Ribadu is the son of a privileged Nigerian and as such never suffered any deprivations growing up. He went to the best schools money could afford and after school enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force. His background, contacts and connection saw him rise very rapidly in the  Force to the extent that while his mates were wearing Assistant Commissioner of Police ranks, he was already donning the epaulette of an Assistant Inspector General of Police.

A case in point is that of former Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha. As soon as Ribadu got the matching orders that Alamieyeseigha should go, he threw caution to the winds and forgot that he is a lawyer. He became a law on to himself; due process became a byword made for the trash can.

Every other institution of the state, including the state legislature was blackmailed just to achieve a predetermined end. This is not the character required for a man who would be made the father of the nation. Same thing was duplicated in the impeachment of Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State. It will surprise you that the same Ribadu looked the other way in the cases of Governors ChimaraokeNnamani, James Ibori and Peter Odili.

His dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force which was later overturned and converted to retirement is another case of insubordination, pride and arrogance. As former EFCC chairman, he felt that he had grown above the Inspector General of Police.

He dismissed his merited demotion to Assistant Commissioner of Police from AIG and for him the new uniform would never be found on him and so he disobeyed lawful orders from his superiors. For one to be a good leader, he/she must be a good follower. NuhuRibadu is definitely not a good follower and cannot make a good leader.

There is no quotable quote on MalamNuhu Ribadu except the one on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his fellow
travellers as reported in the Vanguard newspapers of Monday February 19,  2007 pages 1 and 15 and Punch newspapers of Monday February 19, 2007, pages 1 and 5 where he said: “Tinubu and the rest (other Governors) should consider themselves as very lucky.

They ought to have been where Dariye, Fayose, Alamieyeseigha are today. We are after them because they will want to rule us again. The constitution is against indicted people.

After their tenure, they will be prosecuted. They remain indicted and are not fit to hold public positions.
“These people have to answer for their misdeeds instead of giving the impression that they cannot be dealt with”. Fellow Nigerians, NuhuRibadu raised the hands of SaminuTuraki in Jigawa State as his senatorial candidate  for the National Assembly elections.

He is declaring that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is being persecuted by the current EFCC for corruption because it suites him to say so now. How do you get this kind of fellow to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? How can ACN save Nigeria with NuhuRibadu at the helm of affairs with all his new found friends.

We are a few days to the presidential election and  Nigerians are yet to know how Ribadu’s presidency will tackle the issues and problems of power, healthcare, education, security, Niger Delta, decayed infrastructure, etc.

What experience does he have to handle and manage a country as complex as Nigeria. It is obvious that even his party does not even have confidence in him, hence they always keep him at the background and speak for him in rallies as happened in Jigawa State.

Malam Ribadu is very inexperienced, naive and most unstable for a high office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.