As a blogger I generally tend to shy away from political commentary as there are so many who do it so much better. I learned very early in life that politics is a dirty game and you must be prepared to sacrifice all -even your life (RIP Benazir Bhutto). It is also not a game I understand too well as I still dwell in that plush estate called "naivity and ignorance" - head for VI, make a left and you can't miss it. However, there are some things that pierce my consciousness that just cannot be ignored as they refuse to let the mind settle and be at rest and here we are only in the third day of the new year. Damn these politicos.
First up - Mr Ribadu is sent on a course. As we all know by now the Chairman of the EFCC is being sent on a course just when the EFCC was making great srtrides in tracking down and arresting the thieves with benefits we call governors. It is whispered that this is all a plan to ensure that Mr Ibori (one of the said governors) does not have to face the ignomy of being tried for the looting of state funds. Mr Ribadu is felt to be unreasonable in his continued quest for justice and the recovery of stolen monies. After all most government ministries survive on PR without really having to do anything but he seems quite determined to actually do his job. This is totally unacceptable and goes against all the principles of the game. So he has to go.
Apparently a "cabal" got together in London to plot his downfall. Imagine the conversation:
This Ribadu sef na wa oh. What kind of man is this? We send am Ghana must go he no gree. We send am Gucci. Na lie. Louix Vuitton. Ditto. What are we going to do?
Can you imagine I spoke to one Governor that was just about to transfer $100m to his HSBC account and the man was actually shaking in his shoes? I mean what is the point of being Governor if you cannot freely make these sorts of decisions without worrying about this Ribadu man?
Maybe we should arrange an accident for him? Or set him up with one of those Ashewo girls. We just need him out of the way sha as he is really blocking progress. That man needs to be taught a lesson. Wait a minute. That's it. Teach him a lesson. We'll send him on a course.
Much popping a Cristal champagne follows.
The whole ridiculousness of this action seems to have bypassed the Presidency. I mean the man was just re-elected in April\May for another four year term. Why send him on a course now unless something huge is about to happen i.e - prosecution and maybe conviction of Ibori?
As always we await news from the President as to how he will handle this brewing crisis although I do not hold out much hope. I was discussing with some friends last night and it then occurred to us that since his swearing in we had not seen Yar Adua make any speeches on TV or radio (as far as I am aware). Which is rather worrying in itself.
And on to the second farce.
The daughter of ex-President Obasanjo flies to Austria under an assumed name, false passport and visa to sign a contract with an Austrian company under an assumed name from which she will benefit under her real name. At the signing ceremony photos are taken. She then returns to Nigeria safe in the knowledge that nobody will ever be able to connect her, or her father, to this contract . This woman is the daughter of the ex-President, she is a serving Senator. What are the chances of the Austrians stumbling across her photo in the papers and saying to themselves "mmm Hansel and Gretel, this looks very much like strange lady that signed our contract. Surely can't be two people with a face like that". She claims that it was not a fraudulent act. She is absolutely right. It was a criminal act.
The EFCC is investigating. Ribadu is going on a course. I am going back to my safe enclave where things make sense.
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11 comments:
I bet Mrs "Damilola Whatever" was convinced that if you can fool Nigerians, you can fool anyone especially Hansels and Gretels. I'm curious to see what will come out of this matter now that Nuhu's been banished to Kuru. There's no end to the excitement in Nija.
Anyhow, Happy New Year to the Toks family.
We all know that Ribadu is not going to investigate Iyabo aka Mrs. Damilola. EFCC knew about the whole scam since 2006 and did not do anything about it. Even though Ribadu has done some good job, he still refused to probe the like od IBB and Obasanjo. In addition, fighting corruption in Nigeria is a collective endavor and not an individual task. Thus, I personally believe that Ribadu should exit so that we can bring in someone who will be able to probe everyone and not just the selective few - www.naijapolitics.blog.com
How I avoided this blog is beyond me...
I had always been a bit skeptical about Ribadu as I am not at home to actually witness the effectiveness of the EFCC. However, now that there is a clamor to remove him, I am convinced that he has much more people by the balls and for some by their left tit...so I am guessing he is doing my job.
Iyabo: O ma se o. But is anyone surprised that she would do something like that? I mean, c'mon....
Read through all the posts I had missed. nearly fell over from laughing on the one about your wife cooking. You're such a typical naija man. Sleeping peacefully when your house is about to become the feeding depot for family and non family members whilst your wife tries not to have an aneurysm. That story was too funny.
i meant "doing his job"....somewhat at least
Asepamo lowa asegbe ni ko si. meaning there is nothing hidden under the sun.
like naijapolitics wrote, I'd always thought Ribadu was a bit too selective in his probes.
Hmm Ribadu drama study leave is a farce merely becoz of they sent him to NIPSS, they are many Anti-Corruption academies round the world they cud have sent him to. Fingers crossed tho Yaradua doesnt strike me as a supporter of Kleptocracy and even if he was he wud be more discreet, Umaru has summink up his sleeve.
The Iyabo think is tew funny for words, u captured it well and may she get all she deserves and also a spell in the banger for perjury and inpersonation.
Ive long advocated for money laundering to become a crime within the jurisdiction of the criminal court and if becomes so EFFC or not well stop alot of people!
Chei see epistle!
Nice 1 mr.toks
selective or not, he is 'disturbing' those criminals, I hope the judges are not being paid by the Ibori, Odili and co..
I reckon yaradua is doing this to either probe obj cronies properly or loking for his own ribadu
My heart bleeds when I hear how ministers/governor, serving or not, keep laundering money from one foreign bank to the other. My heart bleeds more, 'cos these foreign banks, will never allow this to happen in their parent countries. Imagine what will happen if Tony Blair or Ken Livingston decides to deposit £10M in the UK? There is such low level of accountability with foreign companies that operate in Nigeria. We need some *tree hugging*, *environment fighting*, *bra burners* nutters in Nigeria, to bring these foreign companies to account.
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"Hmmm Hansel and Gretel" classic line...
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