Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has stepped into the ongoing feud between National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, a former Police Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner.
The disagreement stems from a viral TikTok video in which Hajia Muhammad accused Ribadu of serving in President Bola Tinubu’s administration despite allegedly criticizing him during his tenure as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In response, Ribadu, through his lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, demanded a public apology and retraction, insisting that he never held such a viewpoint, either publicly or privately.
He emphasized that the reputational damage caused by the allegations was incalculable.
“Clearly, in the text of your recording [reproduced and translated above] you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, [EFCC] he allegedly named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, 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,” read the letter dated February 4, 2025, and signed by Dr. Raji.
Maintaining her stance, Muhammad said she had no reason to tender any apology as the records were there.
On his part, El-Rufai defended Muhammad, taunting Ribadu by saying, “Nuhu must have serious amnesia.”
Amnesia refers to the loss of memories, including facts, information and experiences.
“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.”
(DailyTrust)