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Cleaners, fumigators and other workmen were hard at work at No 13
Beira Crescent, in the Wuse II area of Abuja yesterday. This is where Nuhu
Ribadu, former anti-graft boss, is setting up a campaign office in line with
his bid to run for president in 2011.

Although Mr. Ribadu is yet to announce an alignment with any
particular political party and has not publicly declared his intentions to run,
it is only a matter of days before he does that now, his aides told NEXT
yesterday.

He has not yet declared but will do that soon,” said Chido
Onumah, media assistant to the former EFCC boss. “This is the presidential
campaign office and it should be ready in a couple of days. It will be the hub
of operations for his bid to run for president.”

Mr. Onumah also said that his team has recruited a group of
professionals who will undertake several positions in the new office. Mr.
Ribadu is widely touted as the preferred candidate of the Action Congress of
Nigeria, (ACN). “It is not certain what political platform Mr. Ribadu will be
running under but he has been approached by several parties,” said Mr. Onumah.
“He is currently consulting widely with other politicians and groups. At the
end of the day, he will sit back and decide which political platform fits into
his plans and visions.”

The ACN, however, insists that Mr. Ribadu is yet to formally join the party
and therefore cannot be considered a prospective presidential candidate. “I am
not aware that Nuhu Ribadu has joined the party,” said Lai Mohammed, the party
spokesperson.