‘Ribadu behind project to destroy me’ —El-Rufai

Immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of orchestrating a grand plot to destroy him and tarnish his reputation because of his (Ribadu’s) 2031 presidential ambition.

El-Rufai who made the allegations while speaking on Arise TV on Monday night, alleged that Ribadu is attempting to eliminate any potential competition from the North ahead of his presidential ambition and has laid out a plan to destroy his image.

The former governor also accused his successor, Uba Sani of collaborating with Ribadu, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the judiciary in attempts to undermine him.

“This project of destroy Nasir el-Rufai is Nuhu Ribadu’s conception. He is the architect and builder of that project. He is the one working with Uba Sani to implement it. So far, it has been frustrating for them,” el-Rufai said.

“Somebody wants to destroy my reputation. Why? Nuhu Ribadu wants to be president in 2031. He has to eliminate every northerner that he thinks is on the radar.

“In fact, what they have resorted to doing is to call low level people and some of my officials to say ‘implicate el-Rufai and your problems will go away’. This is what ICPC has become.

“Uba Sani and Nuhu Ribadu are not my friends. They were my friends at some point but not anymore. Ribadu is not my friend. We used to be friends.

“But so far, it has been frustrating for them. They have not found anything to use against me. So they are now going to lower-level officers who worked with me, trying to convince them to implicate me in exchange for having their problems resolved.

“The ICPC is now a charade. The EFCC is more professional. I swear to you and to God, I have not taken a penny that I was not supposed to. In fact, as governor, my deputy and I donated 50% of our entitlements, and I have records to prove it.

“Ribadu wants to be president of Nigeria, and his plan is to eliminate every Northerner who appears to be competition,” he insisted.

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