Politics
Faroukgate: Another Political Legacy?
Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in Nigeria in 1999, the country had been exposed to various events at different levels of governance that unarguably qualify to be recorded as part of its legacy. More so when these events have to do with any arm of government, none the least the legislature, which should rightly be at the driver’s seat of governance.
One of such events is the on-going $3 million bribery scandal in the fuel subsidy probe involving Hon. Farouk Lawan, Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the probe of the fuel subsidy regime, and oil magnate, Femi Otedola, which has been christened “Faroukgate”.
As a major allegation on corruption in the National Assembly, Faroukgate has become one too many of such ignoble corruption cases seemingly being perpetrated in the First Estate of the Realm. There appears to be this persistent stench of corruption oozing from the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives in every given legislative year.
In fact, it is such that since the return of democratic rule in 1999, no dispensation has successfully ended without an awful event breaking out from the Green Chambers. Worst is the fact that the events are not palatable. If it does not bother on issues of certificate forgery, it is a bribery scandal or outright embezzlement of public funds which never got investigated beyond news breaks.
Beyond the thrills and frills that it affords the media which furnishes the populace of goings-on, these issues have continued to raise questions about the integrity and or maturity of those elected as lawmakers in Nigeria. Surprisingly, it started with the very first leadership of the House in the present political dispensation.
Hardly had the House been formally inaugurated in 1999 than the case of certificate forgery by the then Speaker, Alhaji Salisu Buhari erupted. The issue dragged on for some time before the Speaker was finally shoved aside. From then on, Buhari grew cold and lost his voice. To a considerable extent, it was not only his constituency that was brutally assaulted and embarrassed.
The integrity of the House and the country at large was also affected. Expectedly, there were rhetorical questions on the moral standing of the lawmaker to continue to enact laws in the “hallowed” chambers of the House. From the international perspective, Nigeria’s ability to formulate laws that could stand the test of time was also in question.
Shortly afterwards in 2007, the House boiled again. This time the protagonist was Mrs. Patricia Olubumi Etteh, the first female Nigerian Speaker of the House of Representatives. Despite making history as Nigeria’s first female speaker, Etteh, was hounded out of office over sundry allegations levelled against her and some principal officers of the House.
In September 2007, she faced a Committee of the House over accusations that she had authorised the spending of N628 million on renovations of her official residence and that of her deputy, as well as the purchase of 12 official cars. A vociferous campaign by the Integrity Group in the house eventually pushed her out of office.
Like, Buhari, the two personalities went so cold that throughout the life of that Assembly, much was not heard from them in terms of contributing to debates in the House. It was not until the twilight of that administration that Etteh briefly made headlines. She was purportedly cleared of the albatross on her neck, though this did not stamp any appreciable impact.
Alhajis Oladimeji Bankole and Usman Bayero Nafada took over as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, but another corruption saga soon played out. A member of the House, Dino Melaye accused Bankole of siphoning the funds of the House. To the chagrin of all, the allegation generated so much dust that there were exchanges of physical blows in the House amongst the members.
The end of that tenure saw Bankole and Nafada behind bars as they were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and prosecuted later. Though Bankole and Nafada issue appeared controversial in the face of the ensued discrepancy between the EFCC and the court over their discharge and acquittal, most Nigerians still think that the duo will have to do more to erase the feelings of guilt and shame from the subconscious.
Similarly, Nigerians are yet to forget the circle of bribery scandal that rocked the House of Representatives in 2009 when the House set up a Committee to probe the nation’s Power sector. The Committee, headed by Ndudi Godwin Elumelu returned a damning verdict that about $16 billion spent on the sector by the Federal Government actually went down the drain.
The committee thus called for a cleansing of the sector. The Report was about to be debated when Elumelu was caught in the web of a N6 billion supplementary budget padding scam. Elumelu and Senator Nicholas Ugba, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power were eventually dragged to court after a brief detention by the EFCC.
Again, the public odium that emanated from the scandal virtually sealed the lips of Elumelu, who currently appears not to be in haste to discuss public issues. Not long ago, another member of the House of Representatives, Herman Hembe, set out in their usual over-sight function to investigate the “death” of stock exchange.
Surprisingly, a well intended and fact-finding probe ended up boomeranging on the lawmaker who was accused of being part of the rot in the system for allegedly demanding a bribe of N5 million from Otteh who was initially suspended but was last week reinstated as the Director-General of the Security Exchange Commission, SEC, though this did not go down well with majority of staff of SEC.
Hembe’s scandal had hardly died down when in the first week of June, 2012 what seemed to be the mother of all bribery scandals in the National Assembly hit the House. To a large extent, it turned out to buttress former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s accusation a week earlier that the country’s legislative arm is run by rogues who lacked integrity.
“Integrity is necessary for systems and institutions to be strong”, Obasanjo said, noting that “today rogues and armed robbers are in the State House of Assembly and National Assembly. What sort of laws would they make? The Judiciary is also corrupt. During my tenure (as President) many of the corrupt Judges were removed, some are still there”.
The news that the latest bribery scam involves Mr. Farouk Lawan, who is otherwise called “Mr. Integrity”, was one development that was extremely difficult for many people to comprehend.
Lawan , the moving spirit behind the Integrity Group that got Partricia Etteh out of office as Speaker, the smallish but intellectually sturdy man whose tiny voice smacks innocence and honesty, and who displays an admirable grasp of any issue he speaks on, was allegedly discovered to be the supreme “tax collector” in the Foroukgate scandal.
The fact that Lawan had been in the House of Representatives since the beginning of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, representing Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State and had been a major factor in virtually all clean-up activities in the House intended to make it free of corruption, made it more difficult to believe.
The better part of his legislative duties had seen him heading many committees, including Finance, Education, Appropriation and subsidy probes. Some say these were compensatory measures to the roles he played in the installation of any given Speaker since the time of Bello Masari.
He is widely believed to be tipped as the next governor of Kano State come 2015. Beyond this, Lawan is also seen as the best northern candidate to vie for the Presidency in 2015.
At the heart of the present faroukgate imbroglio is Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited which was accused of collecting foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but not importing any fuel. Nigerians were happy that Lawan was bold to name most dubious characters in the system that was milking the oil sector of the economy dry.
In a matter of hours, Femi Otedola, one of the oil magnates and owner of Zenon decided to let the lid open over what transpired between him and Lawan’s committee. According to him, initially, his company was amongst those black-listed to have illicitly dealt with the NNPC. But within a split of seconds, the company’s name got deleted from “the Black Book” and was cleared of all allegations by the Probes Panel. It was later to be known that a bribe of 3 million USD did the magic. The allegations and counter allegations that followed are now part of history, but like historians say, “not to learn from one’s past is to remain forever a child”.
Speaking recently on the matter, the former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, “definitely, the integrity of the National Assembly has been very seriously dented, although it is more pronounced in the House of Representatives than the Senate. The Farouk (Lawan) scandal is one scandal too many. I, therefore, suggest that more serious attention be paid on that House and its members in fighting against corruption”.
In the words of Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher, “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit”.
He said he would not hesitate to activate the recall process against any lawmaker found wanting, if he returns for a second term in office.
He stated this while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including those who lost out at the recently held national and state assemblies primaries and have become aggrieved and disrespectful to the party.
While emphasizing the supremacy of the party, he said decisions were taken in the overall interest of the party and the state and must, therefore, be respected by all members.
He warned lawmakers against being insolent and arrogant to their people to the extent of shutting them out after each election cycle, saying such would no longer be condoned.
“So I am appealing to all of you. If you were born with arrogance, please just drop that ticket here”, he said.
The governor hinted that after the next cycle of elections, the process of recalling lawmakers who made themselves “tin gods” would be activated.
“Well, they say they don’t recall people from parliament, but this will be the first time.
“Anybody whom the people say they are tired of will be brought back home. Anybody who goes and forgets his people completely and doesn’t care, thinking that during elections he will come and pretend to be a good man, will be brought back.
“And we are making this very, very clear. We will not fail in what we have said. I am working tirelessly; I don’t sleep. If you are going into office during this period, there will be no sleep for you”, he said.
He advised politicians not to ignore their people who hold the power, insisting: “You cannot overlook them and become so arrogant and pompous that you don’t know your people.”
Gov. Otu also advised members of the ruling APC, who lost at the just-concluded party primaries in the state, not to defect to opposition parties like the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warning that they would suffer untold hardship and would not make any political headway, if they did.
“There are some kwashiorkor parties that are registering people. Such parties are wasting their time and not even my time. They cannot do anything.
“I don’t want anybody to suffer the fate I suffered. That’s why I’m warning those aggrieved aspirants who lost not to go the way of those parties to avoid unnecessary suffering.
“I don’t want anybody to go that route. It’s an absolute waste of time, energy and people’s future, because at the end of the day, you will drag people into that bottomless pit.
“And when you drag them there and can’t take care of them, you begin to rot, you begin to die. May God give me the energy and power to sustain.”
He appealed to the aggrieved APC members, saying: “There’s nothing that we cannot settle. God’s time is the best. Whatever we’ve done is for the common good of all of us.”
2027: INEC APPEALS JUDGMENT ON ELECTION GUIDELINES
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which nullified aspects of the Commission’s 2027 General Election Guidelines.
The appeal, filed before the Court of Appeal, seeks to overturn the judgment delivered on May 20, 2026, by Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The trial court had nullified the provision in the guidelines directing political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10, 2026, as part of the conditions for participation in the 2027 General Election.
The suit challenging the directive was instituted by the Youth Party, which argued that the Commission’s timeline was inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In his ruling, Justice Umar held that INEC could not lawfully shorten the timeline stipulated under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.
However, INEC, through its counsel, Chief Alex Izinyon, SAN, filed a notice of appeal dated May 25, 2026, asking the appellate court to set aside the judgment.
The Commission also filed a motion seeking an order staying the execution of the judgment pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.
INEC raised nine grounds of appeal, arguing among others that the trial court failed to determine the jurisdictional issue concerning whether the suit was hypothetical and academic in nature.
The Commission further contended that the respondent lacked the locus standi to institute the suit and urged the Court of Appeal to strike out the case accordingly.
INEC maintained that its actions were in line with its constitutional mandate to ensure the orderly conduct of elections and effective electoral administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
WHY I ENDORSE TINUBU’S SECOND TERM BID — ADELEKE
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has explained that his decision to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027 was influenced by moral responsibility and the need to sustain developmental progress.
The governor said his endorsement was not based on political calculations alone but on what he considers appropriate in view of the relationship between Osun State and the President, as well as ongoing projects benefiting the region.
The position of the governor was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed.
According to the statement, Gov. Adeleke spoke on Sunday after conducting an inspection of the ongoing construction work on the Ibadan–Ile Ife–Ilesa Expressway.
During the visit, the governor reportedly commended President Tinubu for embarking on major infrastructure projects across Osun State and other parts of the South-West.
Gov. Adeleke noted that infrastructure development remains essential to economic growth and improved connectivity among communities.
He acknowledged the significance of road projects currently underway, stressing that such investments are expected to contribute to easier transportation, commercial activities, and broader development outcomes within the region.
The governor also highlighted the importance of leadership support in facilitating projects that have direct effects on residents.
He indicated that recognition should be given where efforts are being made to improve public infrastructure, particularly projects capable of enhancing movement between states and strengthening economic interactions in affected areas.
According to the statement, Gov. Adeleke’s remarks came while assessing the progress of the expressway project, which has continued to attract attention due to its strategic role in linking major cities within the South-West.
The governor reportedly used the opportunity to express appreciation for federal involvement in projects impacting Osun State.
His comments further reflected his view on political and regional ties, especially considering Osun State’s historical connection to President Tinubu.
Gov. Adeleke suggested that such considerations, alongside visible developmental initiatives, shaped his decision to openly support the President’s anticipated re-election effort in 2027.
He said, “I am the governor of the ancestral birthplace of Mr President. How can I have my own in the saddle and think twice before embracing him?”
IPAC specifically said that INEC guidelines cannot supersede constitutional provisions or extant electoral laws.
The Council, which stated these while appraising the judgement of the Federal High Court, stressed that the court judgement specifically addressed exclusionary conditions capable of disenfranchising aspirants and party members during primaries.
This is contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Mr Martins Egbeola, stating that the judgment was a reaffirmation of constitutional supremacy, democratic principles and the rule of law within Nigeria’s electoral process.
IPAC said that even though INEC possesses powers to issue election guidelines, such powers must however, operate strictly within constitutional provisions and electoral laws.
It noted that the court judgment represented a major victory for democracy, political parties and citizens participating in Nigeria’s electoral process.
IPAC also said that the court judgement had restored the constitutional rights of political parties to manage their internal affairs democratically without unlawful interference through administrative directives.
“The judgment would ensure equal opportunities for eligible members to participate in party primaries without discriminatory or exclusionary conditions.
“The INEC Chairman should deepen engagement and consultation with political parties on issues concerning electoral administration and reforms.
“Greater dialogue and collaboration between INEC and political parties would help prevent avoidable disputes and litigation arising from controversial guidelines,” IPAC stated.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this while speaking on a live television interview programme.
According to him, the ruling APC was not focused on fighting opposition parties, claiming that the political battle was currently between the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said, “In the last three weeks, the APC has not been fighting ADC or NDC. It is NDC versus ADC or ADC versus NDC.
“Actually, I watched with fun all the insults that the ADC is raining on the NDC and the NDC is returning those fireworks on the ADC.
“I watched the videos, and I laughed. The self-implosion is in the opposition rather than in the APC.”
When asked whether he was orchestrating the crisis in the opposition, Prof. Yilwatda denied the allegation but said weakening the opposition was part of politics.
He said, “No, I can’t. But I will be happy if I can do it. That’s my job.
“If you are opposing me, should I be happy? If you oppose me because you are in the opposition, what’s my job? Of course, to stop the opposition.”
The APC chairman also said the ruling party had stronger conflict resolution mechanisms than other political parties.
According to him, the party had committees at national and state levels to resolve internal disputes arising from congresses and other activities.
Speaking on the APC membership register and the votes secured by President Bola Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary, Prof. Yilwatda said the party relied on data from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for its registration process.
“To register as a member of the APC, your name and primary data are sourced from NIMC. That’s the same primary data that is used across the country to open a bank account, get a driver’s licence and secure an international passport.
“So we’re the only political party that sources our primary data from NIMC. This is why people have seen the APC as one of the most politically viable and stable parties. We are a data-driven political party,” he stated.
RIVERS ADC PRIMARY: ASPIRANT REJECTS OUTCOME, ACCUSES AMAECHI OF IMPOSITION
The governorship primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State has been thrown into turmoil after aspirant Mr Allen Idaso Ezekiel-Hart rejected the outcome and accused former governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi of imposing a candidate.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart described the exercise as a “shambolic charade” and said it had produced three separate governorship primary “winners” within the same party.
“Right now, we have three governorship candidates in one party, all thanks to Amaechi’s high-handedness,” he told journalists in Abuja on Monday.
He warned that the situation could plunge the opposition party into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections if the national leadership fails to intervene.
According to him, while the party’s timetable fixed May 23 for the primary, aspirants were informed late Friday that the exercise had been moved forward.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart said he was mobilising supporters across the 23 local government areas when fellow aspirant, Hon. Farah Dagogo, informed him that a parallel process had already been conducted.
He accused the state party chairman, Mr Chukwudi Dimkpa, of inviting only five aspirants loyal to Mr Amaechi while excluding himself and Hon. Dagogo. The arrangement, he alleged, was designed to clear the path for Dr Gabriel Pidomson, whom he described as Mr Amaechi’s preferred candidate.
He further alleged that three aspirants were persuaded to step down for Dr Pidomson in what he described as a disguised consensus arrangement, despite the party’s public stance against consensus.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart claimed Hon. Dagogo later approached him to jointly resist Mr Amaechi’s camp but asked him to publicly congratulate him as the winner.
“He told me to go on air and congratulate him, saying we are from Atiku Abubakar’s political family and should unite. I told him to stop rubbishing Atiku’s name. Atiku will not be part of this nonsense,” he said.
The aspirant said he rejected the offer and subsequently declared himself winner after Hon. Dagogo made a similar announcement.
“As it stands, Farah declared himself winner, Thompson was declared winner by the state exco, and I also declared myself winner. Three winners in one primary that never held. This cannot stand,” he said.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart accused the Rivers ADC leadership of sidelining him despite being the only aspirant who formally notified the party in writing of his intention to contest.
He also faulted Mr Amaechi for allegedly imposing candidates while demanding transparent presidential primary at the national level.
“How can someone who is demanding transparent presidential primaries at the national level turn around and impose a governorship candidate in Rivers?”, he queried.
He urged the ADC National Working Committee to nullify the exercise and either conduct a fresh primary or adopt a lawful consensus arrangement in line with the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The most pragmatic thing now is for the NWC to order a rescheduled primary or quickly adopt a lawful consensus option. Time is running against us,” he said.
Mr Ezekiel-Hart said he would pursue all grievances within the party’s constitution and warned Hon. Dagogo against invoking Atiku’s name to bolster his claim.
“We will exhaust every legal channel within the party. I will not rock the boat unnecessarily, but the party must recognise that I won the primaries,” he said.
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