Kano-based politician, Naja’atu Mohammed, has challenged the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to take her to court over her comments about him. She insisted that she would not apologize or retract her statement, saying she only repeated what Ribadu himself had said years ago about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged corruption.
The controversy started after a video featuring Naja’atu went viral on TikTok. In the video, she accused Ribadu of working under Tinubu’s government despite previously labeling him as “the most corrupt politician” when he was the Governor of Lagos State. She questioned Ribadu’s change of stance, calling his service under Tinubu hypocritical.
Ribadu, through his lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), reacted to the video by demanding a public apology and a retraction. He described the video as malicious and untrue, giving Naja’atu a seven-day ultimatum to take back her words.
However, in a recent interview with a Hausa online platform, Naja’atu dismissed Ribadu’s demands and stood firm on her claims. “What did I do to him that I need to apologize? Have you ever seen someone tell the truth and then retract their comment? I stand by all I said,” she declared.
She further dared Ribadu to take legal action against her. “I’m begging Nuhu Ribadu, by God, to take me to the highest court in Nigeria. Is it not Tinubu’s court? Let him take me there. I stand by my words.”
Ribadu’s Alleged Past Statements on Tinubu’s Corruption
Naja’atu claimed that Ribadu himself had made similar remarks about Tinubu’s alleged corruption when he served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). She pointed out that those statements are still accessible online.
“What I said was what Nuhu Ribadu himself said, and the comment is still on YouTube. Let those interested search for it. Nuhu Ribadu said with his own mouth when he was EFCC Chairman that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was among the most corrupt individuals,” she asserted.
She added that Ribadu had once declared Tinubu as the most corrupt among Nigerian governors at the time. “The comment is still there on YouTube. Therefore, I will not retract my statement because I only repeated what he once said.”
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‘Why Has Ribadu Changed His Position?’
Naja’atu also criticized Ribadu for his apparent loyalty to Tinubu despite his past remarks. “What is the lie here? That he is now prostrating for Tinubu? What is he doing as NSA? He is doing nothing other than instigating Tinubu just to remain in office,” she said.
She insisted that Ribadu’s past comments should not be erased just because time has passed. “Just because the statement was made years back doesn’t mean it should be forgotten. There’s no difference between then and now. Has he retracted his comment against Tinubu? That’s what we want to know. Did he lie against Tinubu when he mentioned Tinubu, Akume, and Orji Kalu?”
She argued that if Ribadu truly believed Tinubu was corrupt back then, he should now explain why he has changed his position. “He should be the one to come out and tell Nigerians whether he lied against them. I stand by what I said. Just because he made the comment in the past doesn’t mean we should forget it. What has changed?” she asked.
A Legal Battle Looms
Despite the heated exchange, Ribadu has not yet responded to Naja’atu’s latest remarks. However, if he follows through with his threat of legal action, the case could become a high-profile battle, drawing national attention to the credibility of past and present political statements.
For now, Naja’atu remains defiant. “I have not retracted, and I will not retract. Let him take me to court. Let’s meet in court,” she said firmly.