The Honorable Umaru Yar'Adua
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Office of the President
Aso Rock Villa, Asokoro District

Abuja, Nigeria

January 7, 2008

Dear Mr. President,
As the Chairman of the Senate Africa Subcommittees, I have visited Nigeria and closely follow developments in your country because I am keenly aware of its strategic significance to the United States and in Africa. As one of the continent's most populous and prosperous countries, Nigeria has long been a role model in Africa, not least for its return to democracy after sixteen years of military rule. I was therefore extremely disappointed by the seriously flawed general elections last April, but was encouraged by your pledge to improve governance with "zero tolerance" for corruption.

I was pleased to hear that while in Washington, D.C., last month, you reiterated your commitment to transparency, accountability, and rule of law as essential preconditions for Nigeria's social and economic development. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen demonstrable evidence of progress in these areas; on the contrary, recent events suggest that Nigeria is backsliding under your leadership.

I am particularly concerned by the recent announcement that Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the esteemed Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has elected to step down from his post instead of accepting the reassignment to the yearlong management training course that was ordered last week. While ongoing training of government officials is important, mandating a year-long hiatus for the head of the EFCC while there are several significant pending anti-corruption cases calls into question the sincerity of your commitment to this issue. The EFCC has had unprecedented success in obtaining several high-level corruption convictions, and Mr. Ribadu has earned national and international acclaim for his leadership over the past five years.

While I deplore the transfer of Ribadu and would like to see him finish out the remainder of his term, if he does elect to step down from his current post, it is essential that his personal safety and security be guaranteed. In addition, Ribadu's departure must not be used as a pretext to disband the EFCC or undermine its work. The recent charges filed by the Commission, including those against former Delta State Governor James Ibori, should be fully and transparently investigated and prosecuted.

You have repeatedly emphasized the positive impact of good governance on development, but political and economic gains go hand-in-hand. The legitimacy and credibility of your government, both at home and abroad, depend upon your consistent and observable commitment to combating corruption. In light of the recent upsurge in violence in Nigeria's Niger Delta region, it is even more imperative that your government exhibit the highest respect for rule of law at all levels of society. Failure to follow through on your policy of "zero tolerance" for corruption will fuel dissent among the Nigerian population and diminish confidence abroad.

Therefore, I urge you to do everything in your power to create the appropriate environment for both political and economic development by strengthening the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and empowering Mr. Ribadu, rather than sidelining him and potentially undermining the EFCC's important work. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to reaffirm your personal commitment to democratic principles and practices and to solidify Nigeria as an example for other young democracies.

Sincerely,



Russell D. Feingold
United States Senator

Read story here

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"A fanatic - one who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." - Wiston Chuchill. "Diplomacy - Thinking twice before saying nothing." - Unknown. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle "The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well." - H.T. Leslie

I don't know about you guys oh, but why do I just get the feeling that this yar'adua guy is not the deal at all? Is the guy dull or is he dull?

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"A fanatic - one who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." - Wiston Chuchill. "Diplomacy - Thinking twice before saying nothing." - Unknown. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle "The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well." - H.T. Leslie

Washington DC – Today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, made the following statement in the wake of the removal of Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of Nigeria's E conomic and Financial Crimes Commission, from office:

"Despite running on a platform of "zero tolerance" for corruption and promising across the board improvements in governance, Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has already failed to live up to this commitment during his first eight months in office. The most recent example of President Yar'Adua's inconsistencies in combating Nigeria's endemic corruption is the removal of Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), despite a record of successful prosecutions. With a number of critical cases underway, the EFCC should not be gutted. The U.S. government must not coddle leaders like President Yar'Adua if they demonstrate an inability or unwillingness to improve democratic infrastructure and defend human rights. The Bush Administration should make it clear to the Nigerian president that the U.S. does not support Ribadu's removal and that, in the interest of promoting transparency and the rule of law, all existing investigations and prosecutions should continue to move forward as planned."

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"A fanatic - one who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." - Wiston Chuchill. "Diplomacy - Thinking twice before saying nothing." - Unknown. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle "The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well." - H.T. Leslie

Well done sir! Since our African leaders are like kindergarten kids who need guidance everyday of their lives, they should be treated as such. Nonsense!

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"The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence."

"A river does not run through a forest without bringing down trees".

when a man surrounds him self with the wrong people what do you expect ... for some time the populace have been screaming that he should remove IWU the inec chairman..... he shut his ears ......a lot have been written about the AGF yet he did nothing ... if there is any one that needs a study leave I believe it is Yar dua that should go for it .... .. the president can not fight corruption cause he was brought in through that means .... My wish/prayer is that a new election shoud be conducted. Mr president is too slow Mr goes slow

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SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO SEE THE PLACE,GOD HAS CALLED YOU AS A PLACE OF BLESSING, BUT THATS WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO HOLD ON AND TRUST THE PROCESS
PEOPLE TEND TO DRAW OTHERS BACK FROM THINGS THEY SECRETLY WOULD HAVE LOVED TO DO BUT ARE NOT CAPABLE OR DARING ENOUGH TO DO
THEY WILL ALWAYS TALK BUT YOUR CHOICE IN WHO YOU LISTEN TO IS WHAT MATTERS......

his not the deal at alllllllll ....you can't fight corruption using kid gloves .....ra... ra ...it can't work

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SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO SEE THE PLACE,GOD HAS CALLED YOU AS A PLACE OF BLESSING, BUT THATS WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO HOLD ON AND TRUST THE PROCESS
PEOPLE TEND TO DRAW OTHERS BACK FROM THINGS THEY SECRETLY WOULD HAVE LOVED TO DO BUT ARE NOT CAPABLE OR DARING ENOUGH TO DO
THEY WILL ALWAYS TALK BUT YOUR CHOICE IN WHO YOU LISTEN TO IS WHAT MATTERS......

My man these guys sometimes act worse than kids. Even kids know when to make a stand demand for their rights. This Yar'adua guy, I am not so sure...

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"A fanatic - one who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." - Wiston Chuchill. "Diplomacy - Thinking twice before saying nothing." - Unknown. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle "The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well." - H.T. Leslie

It's even more annoying that apart from not standing up to defend and propagate the platform on which he campaigned and was "elected", he is not doing anything.

Chai, why did we not give the mandate to someone like Duke. I am still convinced that that guy was our best shot at recovering and moving forward and we threw it away for what, someone that right now "appears" to be a mumuni and waste of space where governance is concerned.

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"A fanatic - one who won't change his mind, and can't change the subject." - Wiston Chuchill. "Diplomacy - Thinking twice before saying nothing." - Unknown. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle "The game of life is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well." - H.T. Leslie

Abeg was Ribadu meant to be the chairman for ever or is he the only person capable of running EFCC in the whole of Nigeria?

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Never believe anything in politics until it has officially been denied-Oto Von Bismarck

Never liked YaraDULL, probably never will. Slow poke, slow poison, Sharia apologist...he just ain't it.

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[quote=OlaMichael;572119]I don't know about you guys oh, but why do I just get the feeling that this yar'adua guy is not the deal at all? Is the guy dull or is he dull?[/QUOTE]

www.TIME-WILL-TELL!.com

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NR DRAMA CAMPUS LIFE & OMOTOLA'S IKEBE READ HERE.....

we threw it away or iwu/obj rigged the elections you meant to write?

here u are right. i guess nigerians/the international community are against his removal becos of the tactic used. sincerity about the need to try another good hand and not one study leave excuse would have made the pple less suspicious of yaradua's intentions on this graft issue, you know.

I am getting increasingly perturbed by the intrusion of America in the internal affairs of Nigeria.Nuhu Ribadu remains my hero in the fight against corruption and i say it with plenty regards but,i cannot understand what his removal has to do with Russel Feingold.
Being a member of the Senate committee on foreign relations with a name that clearly tells he is Jewish American,how would he feel if we accuse the US congress of a hidden agenda on the Isreali-Palestinian conflict for appointing a Jewish American to that committee.With him and his ilk,who would talk for a state of Palestine in that committee?Yes,lets start a criss-cross of irrational reasoning
Last time i reasoned,it came to my freigthening conclusion-to borrow from Bluestockings-that where Ribadu is sent remains an exclusive internal matter of Nigeria and that UMYA does not need to consult America before sending police officers to required in-service courses.
With this,it is my submission that Nigeria should strive to build an anti-corruption institution that is not revolving around individuals.Another person can also do even better than Ribadu.Infact,UMYA should use his own person to go after his political enemies like OBJ was accussed with Ribadu and by the time five Nigerian Presidents do the same,we would run out of enemies

www.GBAM!.com

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Watch TALES FROM ITALY here

Listen to SKY here

NR DRAMA CAMPUS LIFE & OMOTOLA'S IKEBE READ HERE.....