The stakeholders
of All Progressives Congress [APC] has expressed disappointment over the
defection of one of its chieftains and core member, Nuhu Ribadu, to the People’s
Democratic Party [PDP], describing the development as “very terrible.”
The party however wished him luck in his new
party. Mr. Ribadu, a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, decamped to the ruling party on Saturday. Premium Times reports.
A member of
the executive committee of the PDP in Bako, Mr. Ribadu’s ward in Yola South
Local Government Area of Adamawa, had told this newspaper that the former EFCC
boss had registered as a member of the party and given party membership card.
Mr. Ribadu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, was the
presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the 2011
elections.
The ACN
merged with the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, the Congress for Progressives
Change, CPC, and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Sunday, the National
Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, said he was not disappointed by Mr.
Ribadu’s action, but that it merely confirmed the level to which the Nigerian
society had degenerated.Contunue..
“It makes me sad because it is very terrible
thing. It is a confirmation of the level to which our society has degenerated,”
he said. “For a man of that calibre to fall into that trap because of
governorship position is disappointing.
There is no
problem; we wish him luck.” Asked why it was disappointing, the APC national
chairman said, “Don’t you see what this represents – that a man of his calibre
will fall for the temptation? “I hope you understand the point I am making.
I am not sad because of the APC, but because
it reflects on the condition of the Nigerian elite and the kind of things they
fall for. “For the APC, there is no problem. People go, people come, but for
this nation, it is a very sad commentary. It makes you unhappy.” On whether the
APC leadership made any effort to dissuade Mr. Ribadu from leaving the party,
Mr. Oyegun merely said, “People spoke with him,” adding “I don’t want to say
more than that.”
He however
said, “The time has come when we should have politicians of principle. We
cannot continue like this. “The society is sick. We shouldn’t encourage things
like this. It indicates democracy is lacking in that party. “For a man of his
calibre to say the things he has said on record and still did this, is
disappointing. If he had done this six months ago that would have been
understandable. But just because of nomination, you fell for it, even if it is
the main election. (Buba) Marwa is there; the Speaker is there.
“This is
rock bottom. Haba wetin! The disconnection is too direct.” The APC national
chairman was not definite if the party would initiate any effort to get the
former EFCC chairman back into the party. “That is not the issue,” he said. “If
you want to get him back, you offer him what the people are offering him. “I’m
not disappointed because I’m APC or because of where he is going. But for a man
of that calibre who has said things on record and yet went in this direction is
disappointing.
Source-Premiuim Times
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