Corruption Under Obasanjo's Regime Was Worse Than Abacha’s Era – Ribadu

[emezico]

Former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said corruption was more pronounced under former President Olusegun Obasanjo than under the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.

In one of the US embassy cables released by whistleblower, WikiLeaks, Ribadu reportedly said this during a four-hour discussion he had with a former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders, on December 29, 2007.

The meeting was said to have been held at Sanders' residence in the wake of the transfer of the then EFCC helmsman to the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos in 2007, for further studies.

The ex-EFCC chairman was said to have alleged that Obasanjo knew how to cover his track well though he had set up the anti-graft agency to fight official corruption.

The cable reads, "At a meeting with the US Ambassador Robin Sanders to discuss his removal from the EFCC, Ribadu told the US ambassador that Obasanjo was good at covering his tracks. He admitted that corruption was worse under Obasanjo. On former President Obasanjo, the Commissioner (Ribadu) said, he (Obasanjo) really knew how to play the game.

"Although he created the EFCC and understood its importance for him with the international community, Ribadu explained, that by far and even more than the Abacha days where he (Abacha) was the sole thief, corruption under Obasanjo's eight years was far worse, because everyone stole.

"Oba was a political machine and knew how to play the game for the international community, cover his tracks and, for good or bad, and got it as regards to what the EFCC's role was and should be."

Ribadu told Sanders that Yar'Adua supported his transfer from the EFCC because of the anti-corruption agency's moves to prosecute former Delta State Governor James Ibori for corrupt enrichment.

WikiLeaks said, "Ribadu said, without a doubt, the warrant on Ibori was the seminal action that made Yar'Adua support the transfer. He added that he was worried that Yar'Adua was not strong enough to balance the pressures on him from his inner circle – many he had already blocked from illicit enrichment.

"Ribadu said without a doubt. He added that Ibori had promised to help Yar'Adua several weeks ago (prior to the latter's Washington trip) with the tribunal if he got the EFCC Chair off his back."

Punch