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Ahead of an active political
campaign season for the 2011 general elections, the presumed
presidential candidacy of Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s former anti-corruption
czar, is raising more than a few eyebrows across the political
landscape, NEXT investigations in Abuja and Lagos, found at the weekend.

Mr. Ribadu who was widely thought
to be slated for office as special adviser, on anti-corruption and good
governance, in the administration of President Goodluck, has lately
been mentioned as a likely candidate in the presidential race, and on
the ticket of as many as four political parties in the country today.

Presidency sources disclosed that
the initial hint of a job as a presidential aide for Mr. Ribadu sent
powerful and entrenched forces in the land rallied round to put paid to
the matter. As Mr. Jonathan dithered, our source said the former
anti-corruption czar pursued other career options stoked by multiple
political actors and parties who descended on him in his temporary home
in the United States urging him to give the presidential race a shot.

Mr. Ribadu’s aides declined any
comment last week, generally agreeing that while their boss is “on the
lips of many of the parties” nothing has been concluded regarding his
political future or which of the horses he might ride.

A July 9 NEXT report, hinted that
the Action Congress [AC] was considering a new generation of youthful
leaders with proven public service credentials, and favours Mr. Ribadu,
to carry the party flag into the 2011 campaign.

At the weekend, Lai Mohammed, the
chief spokesman for the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] attempted to
deflect the growing media beam on Mr. Ribadu, claiming that “Nuhu
Ribadu is not even a registered member of the party, so how can we be
considering him for the party position?” Congress sources hinted at a
secret group attack on Mr. Ribadu’s political profile, led by former
foreign affairs minister under the Abacha administration, Tom Ikimi.

Mr. Mohammed dispelled the Ikimi
challenge on the same ground, saying “how can Tom Ikimi be leading a
challenge against Ribadu when he, Ribadu, is not a registered party
member as of today?” However, a source within the party who asked not
to be named said Mr. Ikimi led a protest against Mr. Ribadu’s putative
presidential candidacy, suggesting that it was undemocratic to hand
over the party ticket to someone without going through a party primary
process.” Party sources told NEXT that the Ikimi opposition, a fringe
voice in the party now, may not be unconnected with his wish to
re-assert himself within the party.

Mr. Ribadu was travelling in Yola,
his town, to meet with family members, and could not respond to NEXT
enquiries according to his aides on Saturday, who added however that
they agree that opposition from political old horses like Mr. Ikimi
point to “the exciting challenge ahead in the election environment if
Mr. Ribadu decides to finally run for an office.” Ima Niboro, Mr.
Jonathan’s spokesman as usual refused to answer phone calls and text
questions at the weekend regarding the claim that Mr. Ribadu had
another meeting with the president on a new job offer.

Presidential sources however told
NEXT yesterday that if the administration approves, Mr. Ribadu would be
announced as the Senior Special Adviser to the president on Ethics and
Governance, a position which would see him overseeing all the
anti-corruption agencies in the country.

The presidency source, however,
said the stiff opposition within the current administration appears to
have drained the vigour of the tiny progressive elements in the
administration and remained primed to stall Mr Ribadu’s entry. The
major elements that have opposed his appointment, according to our
source, include the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Oghiadomen;
the current Chief Justice of the Federation, Aloysius Katsina-Alu and
the current Attorney General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, who have
argued that it is inappropriate that Mr. Ribadu should head a body that
will subordinate the current EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri.

The Jostle for Ribadu

ACN triggered an enthusiastic
discussion on the need for a generation shift in the political
leadership of the nation when it said that it is seeking what was
termed a ‘child of independence’, that is, a candidate who is under 50
years of age to be the presidential flag bearer for the 2011 elections.

Sources close to the former EFCC
chairman further told NEXT that while not less than 4 political parties
have approached Mr. Ribadu, urging him to run for president in the
coming 2011 elections under their various parties, the ACN formulation
of its candidate requirement had put the pressure on Mr. Ribadu as a
likely choice.

“The truth is that the party
selected 36 credible candidates from the 36 states in the country and
narrowed to some half a dozen candidates that are still being of which
one will ultimately be selected” said a party official.

Ayogu Eze, Senate spokesman and a
member of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) downplayed the
overarching value of youth in the next presidential elections. “It is a
combination of all factors at the end of the day, and the candidate
that will advance the progress of the country and satisfy the interest
of Nigerians that will carry the day,” he said.

Ribadu’s political future

Last Tuesday in Lagos, Mr.
Ribadu, offered what appears to be a political manifesto in a speech
titled, “An Asset, Yet” at the 13th annual Wole Soyinka lecture
commemorating the Nobel Laureate’s 76th Birthday pointing more clearly
to a political future, although when asked whether he will contest any
political office in 2011, Mr. Ribadu retort was: “To that I say amen.
But my expectation in 2011 really is free and fair election.” In his
lecture, Mr Ribadu tried to arouse the national imagination, lashing at
the mental laziness of its leaders, and the vibrance of the youth.

“I have always believed that to
have an economy that depends solely on oil and gas is a sign of lack of
economic imagination and ambition. It is a sign of mental laziness,” he
said and using the example of Tanzania and Somalia, he dispelled the
religious and ethnic albatross being touted as Nigeria’s problem.

“Tanzania in terms of its ethic
diversity has about 175 ethnic groups and its religious pluralism is a
good balance between Christians and Muslims. Not to idealize the
country, and in spite of the usual strains and pains of nation
building, is it not surprising to us that it remains the most stable
and peaceful land in that region?” he asked.

“Think, on the other hand, of
Somalia, with its homogeneity in ethnic and religious experience– one
people, one religion, one language. What has become of it? Somalia is
today the poster child of the very example of a veritable failed, and
rogue state.”

Youth power as agenda

Mr. Ribadu especially appealed to
the country’s flourishing youth to take their place in national
development and quoting Christopher Kolade, a former ambassador of
Nigeria of the UK, he flayed the preparations towards Nigeria’s 50
years experience: “I have read in the papers that the country might be
celebrating its 50 years of independence this year and that we might be
spending N10bn on that. For those of us that are more than 50 years, if
we think about what we had in place 50years ago, then we shall be
celebrating 50 years of decline” he said.