A former Chairman of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Sunday held a private
meeting with a former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief
Bisi Akande.
Ribadu, who contested the 2011
presidential election on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of
Nigeria, visited Akande at his residence in Ila-Orangun on Sunday evening and
discussed with him for a few hours.
The visit had sparked rumour of
the possibility of the defection of the former anti-graft boss to the ruling
APC.
A highly-placed source in the APC
in Osun State told our correspondent on Sunday that Ribadu visited Akande in
company with the National Secretary of the APC, Mai Bala Buni.
The source, who preferred not to
be mentioned because he was not authorized to speak for the party, said, “He
was there on Sunday. I was told he (Ribadu) and the national secretary of the
APC visited Chief Akande together.
“It is difficult to say if he is
defecting to our party because I was not there but we won’t ask him not to come
if he wants to come.”
The Director of Publicity and
Strategy of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, when
contacted, said he heard that Ribadu visited Akande.
Odeyemi, however, berated the
former anti-corruption agency boss for allegedly “going back and forth.”
He said, “I was told he visited
Ila-Orangun but is ILA his local government, where he is supposed to announce
his defection?
“Ribadu has never proved to be a
loyal party man. He joined the PDP from the ACN and he is going back now. He is
not somebody to be depended upon when it comes to politics.”
Ribadu was a governorship
candidate of the PDP in Adamawa State in the April 11, 2015 election.
After the meeting, Ribadu said he
was at Ila-Orangun to reconnect with Akande, who he described as a father and
statesman.
“Baba Akande is a very important
person to all of us. He is a father in the true sense of the word. From the day
I decided to venture into politics, I have benefited from his guidance and
wisdom.
“I have not seen Baba in a long
time, so I feel this is a good time to come and greet him at home. Of course, I
have never been far away from Baba’s fountain of wisdom. Party differences
cannot be a reason to abandon old ties,” Ribadu said.
He eulogized Akande, a former
Osun State governor, and the people of the community while recalling the
overwhelming support and affection he was shown by the people of Osun State
during his 2011 presidential bid.
Akande said Ribadu’s visit was
not political.
“As an extended member of this
community, I said he should come and greet you,” he said.
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