The conviction and eventual sentencing of former lawmaker, Farouk Lawan, brings to the fore the case of Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, who was caught on camera receiving bribes but rather than face prosecution, he still walks freely.
Lawan was on Tuesday sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for collecting a $500, 000 bribe from billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola, in 2012. Angela Otaluka, the judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, believed the testimony of Otedola, who was a principal character in the bribery scandal.
POLITICS NIGERIA reported how the defendant was said to have received $500,000 out of the $3 million he demanded from Mr Otedola. Recall that Mr Lawan was the chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by the House in 2012 to investigate massive petrol subsidy fraud.
The committee found some oil companies culpable of defrauding the Federal Government via spurious subsidy claims. Zenon Petroleum and Gas Company, belonging to Mr Otedola, was also found culpable.
The committee enjoyed wide public approval of the committee’s work, with Mr Lawan appearing strict during public hearings on the matter. He was later accused of receiving bribes to clear some companies. Mr Otedola’s encounter with the former lawmaker was a “sting operation” with the knowledge of the State Security Service (SSS).
Like Lawan, like Ganduje
Nicknamed ‘Gandollar’ as a result of the scandal, Ganduje was indicted for receiving kickbacks from contractors.
He was caught on camera receiving kickbacks of 5 million dollars from contractors in 2018.The video, which was published by Daily Nigerian, showed the governor receiving wads of dollars and putting them into his white ‘babariga’ dress.
Although the seven-member committee set up by the Kano State House of Assembly to investigate the alleged bribery video clips against the Governor vowed to carry out a thorough investigation, it is yet to release its report.
But the Governor immediately described the video as ‘cloned’ and sued the newspaper’s publisher, Jafar Jafar, who later fled Nigeria, citing concern for his safety. Nigerians have mounted pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to call for the probe of the sitting governor, who as a result of the scandal was nicknamed ‘Gandollar’.
In a similar vein, Civil societies have clamoured that the Governor be probed by anti-graft agencies. However, instead of a probe, the Governor was rewarded with a second term after a violence-ridden election in 2019.
In a recent reaction, the head of the state’s Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission, Muhuyi Magaji, said the video is difficult for investigators to work on.
Magaji said after an anonymous person sent a letter by courier to his commission calling for an investigation, “we addressed the media that we couldn’t do that because there is a procedure, even if the complainant didn’t want to appear in public.”
He said some complainants asked the commission to investigate the video, but that when officials of the commission traced their phone numbers and office addresses, all were found to be fake.
Nonetheless, the conviction of Lawal has reawakened the consciousness of the people who have in turn demanded that Ganduje be tried upon the expiration of his immunity as a serving Governor in 2023.
Below are reactions from Twitter
@smoothgenie: I posted this picture 3 days ago and pointed out that When two corrupt politicians who have been accused of taking bribes meet it is esprit de corps! Farouk Lawal on the right was jailed 7 years today. On the right is Gov Ganduje aka Gandollar! He should be shaking in his boots! https://t.co/7tvj1mR7i7
I posted this picture 3 days ago and pointed out that When two corrupt politician who have been accused of taking bribes meet it is esprit de corps! Farouk Lawal on the right was jailed 7 years today. On the right is Gov Ganduje aka Gandollar! He should be shaking in his boots! pic.twitter.com/7tvj1mR7i7
— IG:THEGENIE (@smoothgenie) June 22, 2021
@RenoOmokri: A government that celebrated a thief like Ganduje after his dollar bribery, and calls Bola Tinubu its party leader now wants to prosecute ordinary Nigerians for violating #TwitterBan?
Nigerians, do you see what you have done to yourself?
#KeepItOn #TableShaker #BuhariTormentor https://t.co/iwFQJmPnDq
A government that celebrated a thief like Ganduje after his dollar bribery, and calls Bola Tinubu its party leader now wants to prosecute ordinary Nigerians for violating #TwitterBan?
Nigerians, do you see what you have done to yourself?#KeepItOn #TableShaker #BuhariTormentor pic.twitter.com/iwFQJmPnDq
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 5, 2021
@Waliualao: BMC members have been mandated to white-wash the public on Ganduje, the dollar-stashing governor, as an ambassador of good governance & anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria. Interestingly, they are doing it well. The only optimism about the 2023 election is the elevation of idiocy.
BMC members have been mandated to white-wash the public on Ganduje, the dollar-stashing governor, as an ambassador of good governance & anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria. Interestingly, they are doing it well. The only optimism about the 2023 election is the elevation of idiocy.
— Waliu Ismaila ⚓️ (@waliualao) March 29, 2021
@MizCazorla1: Farouk Lawan kept his dollar bribe in his cap
Ganduje kept his dollar bribe in his babariga
Why is Farouk Lawan prosecuted & convicted while Ganduje is still in office?
These two public officers are from Kano
Kano politicians must be in so much love with dollars😂😂
https://twitter.com/MizCazorla1/status/1407617104770109441?s=19
@oose80: Lawan jail term is a welcome development…what about the giver of bribe
And what about kano state ganduje who was seen collecting dollar bribe 🤔
One sided bias anti corruption judgement
https://twitter.com/osee80/status/1407578131184095235?s=19
@ModibboSanusi: As Farouk Lawan goes to prison 10 years after a corruption allegation, I just imagine the feeling of Baba Ganduje today…
In less than two years, the trial dollar video begins Insha Allah…
#Copied https://t.co/J3wSBNZiHK
https://twitter.com/ModibboSanusi/status/1407363439299866629?s=19
