Don’t drop Ribadu’s name for mileage, Emmanuel Musa warns aspirants
An Adamawa based philanthropist and founder of Emnamu foundation, Dr. Emmanuel Musa has cautioned aspirants seeking the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State against name dropping and other political tactics capable of overheating the polity.
At a press conference in Yola on Saturday, Dr. Emmanuel Musa who was represented by Anas Bala, convener of Dr. Emmanuel Musa awareness forum, decried such diabolic antics noting that it is a minus for democracy.
Anas noted that instead of such negative tendency, politicians should imbibe mutual engagement focused on promoting issue-based politics, internal party discipline, and respect for institutions and personalities as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections begin to gather momentum.
He noted that in his New Year message, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, President of Emnamu Foundation and an APC gubernatorial hopeful, described 2026 as a year of intense political engagement adding that the period would be characterized by alignments and realignments, negotiations, compromises, consensus-building, and heightened competition among aspirants seeking the APC ticket.
While acknowledging that political maneuvering is a natural part of democracy, Anas warned that the conduct of some aspirants was already generating unnecessary tension.
According to him, such tendencies are unhealthy for Adamawa’s political space and could undermine unity within the APC if allowed to continue unchecked.
”Dr. Musa particularly frowned at what he described as the clandestine use of the name of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, by certain politicians seeking political relevance.
”He described such actions as irresponsible and misleading, stressing that Ribadu is a revered national figure whose name should not be exploited for personal political ambition,” Anas said.
Anas noted that as an individual with global reputation for incorruptability, Mallam Ribadu should not be associated with diabolic political maneuvers.
”Ribadu is a globally respected statesman with an impeccable record of public service, proven integrity, and an upright moral posture. His rejection of a $15 million bribe in the past, is a powerful testament to his unmaterialistic nature and incorruptibility.
“Reducing such a personality to the level of state-level political shenanigans is unacceptable,” Dr. Musa said.
He added that it was illogical to assume that a man of Ribadu’s standing would secretly endorse particular aspirants for selfish reasons. He insisted that claims of Ribadu’s backing of certain politicians were false and should be disregarded by the public.
Clarifying his stance, Dr. Musa said his defense of Ribadu was not motivated by personal closeness or political interest. Rather, he described Ribadu as a “father figure” within the progressive family in Adamawa whose reputation must be protected for the collective good of the state.
“If Mallam’s image is damaged today, all of us in Adamawa are affected and cheated. Politics in the 21st century is people-oriented and driven by popularity, antecedents, credibility, and track record, not borrowed names,” he said.
According to him, democracy thrives on acceptability and the will of the people, not on assumed influence or manufactured endorsements.
Dr. Musa further emphasized that whoever emerges as the APC standard bearer and eventually occupies the Government House in Yola would have nothing to offer Ribadu, nor would Ribadu expect anything beyond respect.
He noted that the office of the National Security Adviser is far more exalted than that of a state governor, pointing out that while Nigeria has 36 states, it has only one NSA.
He also cited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to appoint Ribadu as NSA despite coming from a different region as evidence of his detribalized nature and national appeal.
According to Dr. Musa, the appointment underscores Ribadu’s commitment to nation building and his ability to rise above ethnic, religious, or regional sentiments.
At a time when Nigeria is facing serious security challenges from non-state actors, Dr. Musa warned that the efforts of the federal government through the office of the NSA should not be distracted by what he termed “unpopular and opportunistic politicians.”
The awareness forum called on APC aspirants in Adamawa State to embrace issue-based campaigns, respect party elders and institutions, and prioritize peace, unity, and the collective interest of the party as the political season unfolds.
