Nigeria: The Politics of Farouk Lawan's Trial

For some inexplicable reasons, the trial to establish culpability of the four term legislator, Farouk Lawan or businessman, Femi Otedola in the $625,000 bribery scandal over oil subsidy has remained unresolved. Did the Lawan committee solicit $3 million from Femi Otedola to doctor the report and did other companies pay?

What role did other political actors play in the ill-fated probe? Rather than expeditiously dispensing justice, investigating agencies, including the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and - surprisingly the House of Representatives' Ethics committee have been playing politics with the issues at stake. Long after police detectives finished their assignment, prosecution of the prime suspect is taking eternity.

A bizarre dimension was introduced to the asinine when a civil society group, Anti-corruption Network opposed the choice of Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as counsel for the Federal Government in the case. Also to be prosecuted is the clerk of the House ad-hoc committee on Oil subsidy probe that Lawan headed, Mr. Boniface Emenalo. Otedola will be a principal prosecution witness. That in itself is political.

An independent commission of enquiry would have been desirable. We however, consider extraneous, the allusion of the Dino Melaye, a controversial former lawmaker's submission that for offering his services to some public officers standing trial over corruption charges should disqualify Awomolo.

Much as the law presumes accused persons' innocent until contrary is proven in a court of law, such superfluous matters should take the backstage while the real trial on this all-important corruption case kicks off in earnest. What is at stake is justice. In prosecuting the case the learned counsel is equal on trial. His diligent prosecution or otherwise would pitch him in the pantheon of enemies or friends of Nigeria because we all agree that the menace is the single worst adversity the nation has.

Much as it is impossible to reprobate and probate simultaneously, we detest a situation where the real corruption issues are side-lined for matters bothering on technicalities or personalities. The fuel subsidy scam has thrown up villains and we wonder if it would do the aging lawyer any good to join the league. Both Otedola and Lawan in our opinion must be tried.

The sentiments expressed by the anti-corruption non-governmental organisation notwithstanding, we would want answers to the dark edges of who offered, took, prompted, facilitated or abetted who in the entire saga. Nothing short of the diligent prosecution would bring this about. Nothing short of justice would be acceptable by the citizenry who have been short-changed and slapped in the face by the politics of a criminal 'sting operation'.

The nation waits to see the demystification of the voluble thieves who have treated us to a drama of the absurd in the last four months. The prosecutor's integrity is also at stake. Facts must be matched with figures and forensic analyses pitched against hearsay and unnecessary legalese and technicalities must be subordinated for truth.

Since the tragedy broke out, Nigerians have been displeased with the explanations proffered for the giving and taking of the bribe monies. Recriminations from the giver and takers of the bribe have rather accentuated the politics of corruption and corruption of the politics of fuel subsidy, even though some people are currently standing trial. We demand that a thorough judicial process is the minimum the world expects from this trial.

The world cannot accept haphazard investigation, prosecution and judgement of this case that promises to advertise the seriousness or otherwise of Nigeria on the fight against heists. The facts must be lucidly laid bare and complicit high-profile official expose for their hidden agenda. Justice must not only be done on this matter, but it must be seen to be done.