A prominent activist and politician, Najatu Mohammed, has dared the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, to go to court over her remarks against him.
Mrs Mohammed had said that Mr Ribadu once described President Bola Tinubu as corrupt but despite that he is now serving his government as NSA.
But in reaction to Mrs Mohammed’s remark, the NSA demanded public apology and retraction.
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In a letter through his lawyer, Ahmed Raji, dated February 4, Mr Ribadu denied ever holding such a view in the past, saying the video has done him unquantifiable damage.
The letter read: “Clearly, in the text of your recording [reproduced and translated above] you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, [EFCC] he allegedly named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu [all former Governors, and in that order] as the governors in Nigeria who stole the most from public treasury.
“You also stated that today, our client, who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu, has turned around to be his staunchest defender, especially with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.
“You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu, and other governors as thieves.
“Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.
“In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the president; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him.
“In the foregoing premise, our client hereby challenges you to provide evidence of your allegations therein against him; which have cast him as double-faced, duplicitous, and deceitful in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
“Although masked as a clarion call to the North to rise up to your perceived injustice against the North by the government of the day, your publication is also inciting violence towards our client.
“Given this far-reaching ramification of your publication, our client will not sit back and watch his hard-earned reputation and goodwill destroyed by your malicious decision to not only lay false allegations against him, but also to cause the same to be published for the world’s attention.
“Your intention to bring our client to public ridicule, opprobrium, scorn, and shame, etc., is laid bare when it is considered that you deliberately caused the same to be published on social media, where it has since gone viral.
“Surely, the damage occasioned to our client by your deliberate but ill-advised action is unquantifiable. However, our client will be assuaged if you retract the said publication and tender an unreserved public apology to him in at least 5 [five] national daily newspapers within 7 [seven] days of receipt of this letter.
“If not, we have our client’s further instructions to seek redress against you in a court of law where exemplary damages will be claimed against you. Kindly be advised.”
Najatu’s latest response
In an telephone interview with Premier Radio on Tuesday evening, Mrs Mohammed said she stood by what she said about Mr Ribadu and dared him to take her to the supreme court.
“As EFCC chairman, Ribadu once said that Tinubu was among the most corrupt persons. And among the Nigerian governors, Tinubu was number 1,” she quoted Mr Ribadu as allegedly saying.
“The video is on Youtube, and on this premise, I will not retract. I am only repeating what he said.
“What is wrong if I said he is bowing to Tinubu? What is he doing as NSA, what security is he providing to the nation? He does nothing other than praising Tinubu in order to secure his position.
“I have not retracted my remark, and will not retract. Let him take me to court.
“Nuhu Ribadu should take me to Nigerian supreme court, please.”
