House finally sacks Farouk Lawan over $620,000 bribe scandal

The House of Representatives finally relieved Mr. Farouk Lawan of his position as the Chairman of the Committee on Education on Thursday.

The House had placed Lawan on suspension since June last year, following his involvement in the controversial $620,000 bribery saga.

While on suspension, the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Dr. Rose Oko, was asked by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, to chair the committee in acting capacity.

The suspension, instead of being removed as chairman, initially left a window of possibility that Lawan could be returned to the headship of the committee.

But, on Thursday, Tambuwal named a replacement for Lawan, indicating that the four-time (1999 till date) legislator had been removed permanently as chairman.

In his place, the speaker named Lawan’s kinsman from Kano State, Mr. Aminu Suleiman.
It was unclear whether the House had confirmed the indictment of Lawan over the bribery allegation, as the speaker did not give reasons for his removal.

The sacking took place while the House is yet to receive the report of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which investigated the bribery saga.
However, Lawan and his erstwhile secretary, Mr. Boniface Emenalor, are currently standing trial for the bribery allegation.

It will be recalled that Lawan headed the ad-hoc committee of the House, which investigated the fuel subsidy regime between January and April 2012.
The panel had uncovered how government officials allegedly connived with fuel importers to defraud the nation of N2.07 trillion in the guise of funding subsidy.

But, as the House celebrated the finding, an oil businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola , accused Lawan of demanding $620,000 bribe from him.

He claimed that the bribe, in Lawan’s explanation, was to clear two of his firms indicted by his committee for subsidy fraud.
Otedola argued that the demand shocked him because none of his firms participated in the subsidy regime.