Farouk Lawan, the infamous politician who was a four-term member of the House of Representatives for the Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State will always be remembered by many.
Famously described as Mr. Integrity, Lawan exited the exalted chamber in a very controversial circumstance following his indictment for demanding and collecting a $620 million bribe from oil and gas magnate, Femi Otedola. The ugly development became a big blot on his political career and subsequently exposed his Achilles’ heel. Since then, he is said to be striving very hard to regain relevance in the political circle. But the more he tries, the more he gets stuck in the mud.
The diminutive politician reportedly attempted to return to the lower chamber in 2015 for the fifth time, but he was trounced and humiliated by a greenhorn, Sule Aliyu Romo, to represent Shanono/Bagwai Federal Constituency of Kano State at the National Assembly. This evidenced his waning influence in the political landscape.
Unrelenting, in 2019, he nursed the ambition of contesting for the number one position of Kano. But the ambition died even in its gestation. The reason was not far-fetched. Lawan was no longer regarded as a reckoning force in the scheme of things in the state. Such is the pathetic situation of Lawan’s political ambition.
The case with Otedola that has dragged on for many years was concluded last week when the once Mr. Integrity’s conviction and jail sentence were affirmed by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, in its unanimous judgement, dismissed his appeal challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal which had also affirmed his conviction by the trial court.
In the lead judgement prepared by John Okoro, but read by Tijjani Abubakar, the Supreme Court held that Mr Lawan’s appeal lacked merit.
With this, it wouldn’t be harsh to say the former politician’s political career has finally been buried, even before his very eyes.
