Says the 'game is over' for those who don't follow the rules when it comes to Nigeria's oil and gas revenue
WASHINGTON -- If there ever is a "William Jefferson the Movie," the actor playing Nuhu Ribadu would have a relatively short but not insignificant role. In 2006, Ribadu, who at the time headed the anti-corruption commission in Nigeria, was tapped by the FBI to examine the then New Orleans congressman's connections to some of the western African nation's leading politicians and business leaders. His report said that Jefferson was promoting various projects in Nigeria and working with, among others, the nation's then vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
The Nigerian anti-corruption official who investigated former Congressman William Jefferson's ties to officials in his country is now investigating Nigeria's oil and gas industry.Jefferson was convicted in 2009 of soliciting and accepting bribes to promote the telecommunications project in Nigeria and other African nations. The nine-term New Orleans Democrat was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but remains free pending resolution of his appeal.
Since helping the FBI investigate Jefferson's links to Nigeria, Ribadu has been busy. He made news in the United States, not only for his investigation of Jefferson's activities in New Orleans, but also for his efforts to reign in internet scams in which Nigerian scam artists sent e-mail messages to unsuspecting Americans saying they are ready to hand over multi-million dollar inheritances if only the Americans pay up-front fees and provide private financial information.
In 2011, he ran unsuccessfully for the Nigerian presidency. After his loss, Ribadu went to work for a couple of U.S. think tanks, and recently traveled to Afghanistan to help that nation deal with its own notorious corruption problems.
Last week, back in Nigeria, Ribadu assumed the role as head of the nation's Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force. His task is to investigate widespread corruption in the nation's lucrative oil and gas business following many years of complaints that the revenue collected from the program never seemed to benefit the people of Nigeria.
Last week, Ribadu said the "game is over" for those who don't follow the rules when it comes to oil and gas revenue, according to Nigerian press reports.
"We shall seek to promote a new ethics by promoting values that support a new dawn of business conduct in the sector, so that those who play by the rules will enjoy all the best support, and the unscrupulous players will get the red card," Ribadu said.
Jefferson, 64, who was convicted of 11 of 16 corruption charges following a six-week trial in 2009, is awaiting a ruling on his appeal by a three-judge panel for the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The panel heard oral arguments Dec. 7 in the appeal, in which Jefferson's attorneys argue that the trial judge made a serious error in describing in fairly broad terms what constitutes official duties.
Jefferson, who remains free under electronic monitor pending the resolution of his appeal, maintains through his attorneys that his actions constituted ethical lapses, but not bribery. His lawyers argue that he was acting as a private businessman, not a member of Congress, when he sought payments for family owned firms for his assistance getting help from Nigerian and other African leaders.
Prosecutors say he used his office to set up the meetings, got help from U.S. State Department and embassy officials for those meetings -- making them part of his official duties. They said the trial judge, T.S. Ellis III, was correct when he describing influencing foreign officials as accepted practice under the official duties of congressional members.
Whatever the ruling by the three-judge panel, the losing side could appeal to the full 4th Circuit and ultimately to the U.S. Supreme Court.