Farouk Lawan’s bribery scandal and 10 other memorable events of the 7th house of reps

LAWANGATE

In the wake of nationwide strike and paralysis of the economy in January 2012, the house set up a committee to investigate the payment of fuel subsidies. The committee was chaired by Farouk Lawan, a long-standing influential lawmaker.

The committee’s report was released three months later and it revealed a huge scam in which companies were being paid hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies by the government for fuel that was never delivered. It was estimated that the scam cost the country $6.8 million.

The report said that Zenon Oil and Gas limited, owned by business tycoon Femi Otedola, owed more than $1 million. Surprisingly, Otedola alleged that Lawan solicited a $3 million bribe from him to de-list his company. The businessman went ahead to release a footage to back up his claim that the lawmaker already collected $500,000 advance payment.

Well, don’t ask if a court ever found Lawan guilty or innocent. The last one heard of the case was that the judge handling it – Justice Adebukola Banjoko of an FCT high court – withdrew from the adjudicating the trial!