Farouk Lawan, former member of the House of Representatives, is aiming for a political return in the 2027 general elections. This follows his conviction in a bribery case linked to the 2012 fuel subsidy scandal. Lawan chaired the House ad hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy regime at the time. He was accused of demanding a $3 million bribe from billionaire Femi Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from a list of firms implicated in subsidy fraud.
Lawan was convicted and sentenced to prison. He completed a five-year jail term in 2024 and received a presidential pardon from President Bola Tinubu in October 2025. The pardon restored his civil and political rights. He previously represented the Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency in Kano State.
Lawan has now passed the All Progressives Congress (APC) screening process. He has emerged as the preferred candidate of APC stakeholders in Bagwai and Shanono Local Government Areas. His candidacy marks a formal attempt to re-enter national politics over a decade after the scandal.
In a BBC Hausa Service interview, Lawan expressed gratitude to President Tinubu. He said, "When someone goes through a trial and Allah grants a chance for pardon, you must be thankful. My family and well-wishers across the world were all filled with joy when the news broke." He described the pardon as a day of thanksgiving to Allah and commended Tinubu for "doing what is right."
Farouk Lawan seeks public office again after being convicted for taking a bribe meant to shield a company from fuel subsidy probes. He now thanks the president for restoring his rights while the system allows a man once found guilty of corruption to run the same constituency. Voters in Bagwai/Shanono must decide whether a pardon erases the weight of the conviction. The comeback rests on forgiveness, but the record remains unchanged.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
