Ribadu Demands Assets Declaration Form from Conduct Bureau- disday newspaper

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has demanded from the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Certified True Copies of the asset declaration forms he submitted to its office on December 1, 2008.
This is coming as the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) at weekend called on the former governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori, to produce evidence to convince Nigerians and his admirers nationwide that he is being deliberately vilified by Ribadu and others.
In a letter dated September 25, 2009 and entitled “Re:Suit No: CCT/ABJ/01/2009 – Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, Request for Certified True Copies of Asset Declaration Forms of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu”, Ribadu disclosed that upon his assumption of office as chairman of the anti-corruption agency on March 14, 2003, he declared his assets in strict compliance with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
The former EFCC boss, who had since fled the country to London, was arraigned in absentia before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly failing to declare his assets before and after he served as chairman of the EFCC from 2003 to 2008.
In the letter, which was signed by his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, he argued that although he was not formally removed as the chairman of the anti-graft commission by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he nevertheless declared his assets upon the completion of his management course at the Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State.
He urged the CCB chairman to avail him of the document to facilitate his defence at the tribunal on October 2, 2009 when the case against him would be argued.
The full text of the letter read: “As you are no doubt aware our client declared his assets upon assumption of office as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on March 14, 2003, in strict compliance with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
“Although our client was not formally removed as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes by the President he declared his Assets on December 1, 2008 upon the completion of the Management Course at Kuru.
“In the circumstances we have our client’s instructions to request for Certified True Copies of the said Asset Declaration Forms which were submitted to your office at the aforesaid dates.
“It will be appreciated if you can urgently attend to this application to facilitate the preparation of our client’s defence in respect of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal which has been fixed for 0ctober 2, 2009.”
Meanwhile, CNPP has also challenged Ribadu to publish the records of all the 31 ex-governors and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, which Mrs Farida Waziri has been unable to prosecute.
It stated: “This will go a long way to plug the ongoing leakages and once for all in absolving Ribadu of the accusation of being selective”.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Osita Okechukwu, the coalition of opposition parties said that the ball is now in the court of Ibori to prove that the former Chairman of EFCC deliberately lied against him.
Ibori had told a press conference last Friday that he was being persecuted by Ribadu and Obasanjo because of previous disagreements.
“CNPP like most patriots would be happy to witness the resolution of Chief James Ibori's corruption charges, that of all the 31 ex-governors and ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo either way; for without the resolution, corruption will continue to not only hamper our development but scuttle our transition to democracy. Democracy has refused to grow, because those who loot our treasury are using same to impose leaders on us, buy favour and loyalty,” the statement said.
CNPP asked: “How can Nigerians live to see all those who squandered our unprecedented oil revenue, without any tangible investment in the land to go scot-free and enslave us? It is a negative model for any nation that wants to advance in this anarchic global system.
“For it is on record that between year 2000 -2008 the allocation figures are: - the South-South States - N3.2 trillion, North-West N2.1 trillion, South-West N1.7 trillion, North-Central N1.5 trillion, North-East N1.3 trillion and South East N1.2 trillion; without commensurate impact on the people on whose behalf the monthly Federal Allocation is meant for.”
It further said that democracy cannot thrive under monumental corruption, “so now Ribadu has every opportunity to open the lid and save our nascent democracy and the millions of poverty-avaged Nigerians.”