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- President Bola Tinubu has granted a presidential pardon to a Kano-born politician and former House of Representatives, Garouk Lawan
- Lawan, who was convicted by the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, was one of the 175 Nigerians Tinubu granted the presidential prerogative of mercy
- The Kano politician’s conviction came as a result of public outrage after a video footage showed him with a large sum of cash
Former member of the House of Representatives and Kano-born politician, Garouk Lawan, has expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, who granted him a presidential pardon, saying that the gesture has ignited his hope.
The former lawmaker is one of the 175 Nigerians Tinubu granted the presidential prerogative of mercy, which was approved by the Council of State, following the president’s recommendations on Thursday, October 9.
Source: Twitter
Tinubu’s pardon: Who is Farouk Lawan?
Lawan once represented the people of Bagwai/Shanono federal constituency in Kano State, but was at the centre of a popular bribery scandal in 2012 after he was accused of making a demand of $3 million from Femi Otedola, a prominent business mogul in Nigeria.
The Punch reported that money was demanded to remove Zenon Petroleum from another alleged list of companies involved in fuel subsidy fraud.
There was public outrage after a video footage showed the former lawmaker handing large sums of cash, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) later arraigned him.
When Lawan was convicted
He was then convicted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on three counts of charges on June 22, 2021 and was handed a seven-year imprisonment.
In February 2022, he was acquitted of two charges by the Court of Appeal. However, the court upheld one conviction, and his sentencing was reduced to five years. In January 2024, the Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court’s verdict and the former lawmaker was released in October 2024 at the expiration of his jail term.
The presidential pardon has therefore removed all reputational and major legal barriers that could affect the ability of Lawan to re-engage in public life or politics.
Source: Twitter
Other people Tinubu granted presidential pardons
Aside from Lawan, Tinubu also granted pardons to one of the founding fathers of Nigeria, Herbert Macaulay, and former minister of the FCT under the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, Maj-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).
Also included in the report are members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four.
A source who is privy to the development disclosed that “Herbert Macaulay and Vatsa are among the two major ones on that list.” Macaulay is often referred to as the father of Nigerian nationalism. He was convicted by the colonial government on two occasions.
Tinubu rejects two bills passed by Senate
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has given reasons for refusing to sign two bills forwarded to him by the Senate into law.
According to the president, the first bill was the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (Establishment) Bill, 2025.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who read Tinubu’s letter, also noted that the president did not assent to the National Assembly Library Fund bill with a reason.
Source: Legit.ng
