The ‘Integrity’ Of ‘Mr. Integrity’

By Odeyemi Mudashiru Olalekan

He was the arrowhead of a few lawmakers who declared their readiness to live by example and branded themselves “The Integrity Group”. His name is Hon. Farouk Lawan, who has been in the House since May 1999. By his definition, “members are supposed to epitomise ‘integrity’ and conduct themselves in a manner that makes them clearly above board in all dealings”.

As a founder of the Integrity Group which spearheaded the removal of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh over the N628 million house renovation/upgrading scandal, it is an irony that Hon. Farouk Lawan is now battling to protect his integrity since the alleged $620,000 bribe scandal broke out.

The scandal that got him removed as both the head of the ad hoc committee on fuel subsidy regime and House Committee on Education, has not only made him the butt of jokes but also earned him much scorn.

The question Nigerians are asking now is: where is integrity? If Mr. Integrity is found guilty of this scandal, then integrity will be said not to have existed by conduct but by mere expression of words.

Contrary to this statement, one of the leading members of the Integrity Group at the time, Lynda Ikpeazu has said: “Integrity still remains Integrity in spite of what may have transpired. Assuming an individual does something bad, which we are not even sure yet because the matter is still being investigated, it doesn’t affect the group in any way. We’re still together and Integrity Group still remains Integrity Group.”

Let us not forget that Hon. Farouk Lawan’s insistence and success in the removal of the former Speaker, Patricia Etteh over the N628m house upgrading/renovation scandal earned him the nickname “Mr. Integrity”.

Still on integrity, I wonder if it does exist when Mr. Integrity himself through his lawyers denied that he ever solicited from Mr. Femi Otedola the sum of $3 million or any other sum at all, as bribe, to enable his oil firms to be expunged from the list of those indicted.

In another statement issued by his lawyers, Hon. Farouk Lawan admitted he only collected the $500,000 from Mr. Femi Otedola in order to play along after which Otedola offered to pay a total of 3 million US dollars and that the $500,000 collected by Lawan was sent with a covering letter titled “Offer of Monetary Inducement by Femi Otedola to influence Committee Report” to Mr. Adams Jagaba, the Chairman, House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes.

In response to this second statement, Mr. Adams Jagaba formally denied his involvement in the collection of $500,000 bribe allegedly handed over to him by Farouk Lawan. In fact he asked Lawan to stop blackmailing him else he will have no option than to take the appropriate legal action against him and seek compensation befitting his status. In his words, “enough is enough”.

Jagaba who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja noted that all the information given including “written letter and attached $500,000” by Lawan were unfounded.

He challenged Farouk Lawan to produce an authentic acknowledged copy of his letter and stop dragging his name in the mud. While justifying his integrity, Jagaba, who appeared before Gambo Dan-Musa led Committee on Ethics and Privileges, recalled how he returned the sum of N4.5 million bribe on the floor of the House in 2001 while serving as chairman of anti-corruption committee. “I did that as an act of patriotism, an act that truly laid the foundation for the war against corruption in Nigeria. I cannot and shall never be involved in an individualistic act that runs antithetical to national interest,” he vowed.

I wonder when the question posed on the 11th of July, 2012 by Jagaba to Lawan in front of the police STF when both parties were invited be answered. In his words, “Hon. Farouk, did you give me $500,000 or any money for that matter?” This was a question the outspoken Farouk could not find an answer to.

The question I still ask myself is where did Mr. Integrity keep integrity?

A known dedicated lawmaker who was credited for doing good work whenever he is called upon by the House has now turned into an instrument who mystified many by the twist of events on the fuel subsidy regime probe which political watchers have said may have smeared his hitherto glittering political resume. Unless what we are reading is different from that which actually transpired, I really do not see why Mr. Femi Otedola should be arrested for helping the Police STF pull a sting operation that exposed a corrupt lawmaker.

•Olalekan is a 300 Level Mass Comm Student of the University of Lagos, Akoka.