Tinubu is corrupt comment: Ribadu suffering from ‘serious amnesia,’ says El-Rufai

Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has accused National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu of suffering from “serious amnesia” or deliberately lying about comments he made regarding President Bola Tinubu’s corruption during his tenure as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

El-Rufai’s remarks came after Ribadu, through his lawyer Dr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), demanded a public apology and retraction from politician Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad. Naja’atu, in a viral TikTok video, claimed Ribadu had previously called Tinubu corrupt and questioned his shift in stance after becoming a member of Tinubu’s government.

In the video, Naja’atu accused Ribadu of hypocrisy, alleging that he once identified Tinubu, alongside other governors like George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, as some of the most corrupt in the country. Ribadu’s lawyer responded, denying the allegations and insisting that Ribadu had never labelled Tinubu or other former governors as corrupt, either publicly or privately.

However, El-Rufai, in a rebuttal posted on X (formerly Twitter), supported Naja’atu’s claims, citing a February 2007 Daily Trust report. The report featured Ribadu saying that Tinubu and other governors at the time were “lucky” to not face the same fate as other impeached governors like Joshua Dariye and Ayo Fayose.

El-Rufai also referenced proceedings from a 2006 Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which he claimed contained similar allegations against sitting officials, including Tinubu.

The former Kaduna governor challenged Ribadu to provide evidence of his alleged amnesia and suggested that official records from the FEC would corroborate Naja’atu’s assertions. He concluded by stating that silence is no longer golden for those who have shifted their positions for political expediency.

El-Rufai’s response came just a day after Ribadu issued a formal letter to Naja’atu, demanding a retraction and public apology within seven days, or face legal action. Ribadu’s lawyer warned that Naja’atu’s actions had caused significant damage to Ribadu’s reputation and credibility.