Former governor Sule Lamido and his two sons, who have being under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime (EFCC) were last week arrested and dragged to the court on charges of financial mismanagement. Since then, the supporters and critics of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs have been debating on the reason for his travails. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, in this report, took a brief look at his political rise and current challenges
For the former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who has long been associated with populist and progressive political ideology, these are indeed trying times.
Faced with alleged money laundering related offences, currently prosecuted in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lamido, who has built a solid image as a political leader and a man of the people, is, according to concerned observers, faced with a battle he must win to remain on top or lose to suffer a total summersault.
Since he made his first major appearance in the Nigerian political theatre during the Second Republic, Lamido, born on 30 August 1948 in Bamaina, Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State, has largely been identified with the progressives and praised by his numerous supporters as a man of the people. This image was perhaps formed by the choice of his associations in his early days as a politician. His first political party was People’s Redemption Party (PRP), known for its populist stance.
On the platform of this party, Lamido became a member of the House of Representatives in 1979. In that House, he was a member of many committees. Reports described him as one of the critical elements in that House, voicing the position of PRP and other opposition political parties.
During the Third Republic, he continued as a progressive when he not only became a founding member of Social Democratic Party (SDP), described as the party to-the-left-of-the-centre, but became its National Secretary.
Although his early critics at that point of his political life blamed him over his alleged roles during the tumultuous June 12 political development in the country, Lamido managed to survive the criticisms and retained his progressive image, especially after the late maximum military ruler, General Sani Abacha, imprisoned him in 1998 for criticising the military Head of State’s plan to perpetuate himself in office.
But since the country returned to democracy in 1999, there has been controversy over Lamido’s true ideological bent following his decision to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), considered right of the centre. This controversy deepened following the face-off within the political family that he grew up in, following allegations that his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, was designed to ridicule and reduce Lamido’s political patron, Abubakar Rimi. It would be recalled that before his appointment as Foreign Minister, Lamido had lost his governorship bid to the All People’s Party (APP) candidate, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki. It was then rumoured that Rimi, was interested in the Foreign Minister’s portfolio, but when Lamido grabbed it, following alleged disagreement between Obasanjo and Rimi, some members of the Rimi political group then expressed dissatisfaction with Lamido’s acceptance of the offer.
The criticisms aside, Lamido’s admirers said he performed rather courageously as Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1999 and 2003, at a time Nigeria’s image needed so much pragmatism after many years of military government.
Also his tenure as the governor of Jigawa State after his ministerial position, where it is said that he performed very well, further strengthened his position as a political leader with interest of the common people at heart.
So, though his critics dismissed him as having joined the conservatives, only few could deny Lamido’s outspokenness and bold criticisms when it becomes necessary. As one of the aggrieved PDP governors who challenged the leadership of the party, leading to the formation of the n-PDP, Lamido’s criticism of his party was firm. In an interview he granted a national daily after five of his colleagues decamped to All Progressives Congress (APC), Lamido said clearly that he did not consider Tukur’s resignation as the solution to PDP’s problem. As he put it, “Is Tukur’s resignation the solution to the party’s crisis? I don’t think so. They say a stitch in time saves nine but the party did not act in time; therefore nine is not being saved. The party we formed with a very clear vision was gradually being destroyed by Tukur. It was to make the Nigerian people see the difference between dictatorship and democracy and showcase Nigeria before the international community as a leader in democratic dispensation.
“So, as the ruling party in Nigeria, its character and conduct must capture the Nigerian hope so that whatever we’ve been able to achieve in the last 14 years is not destroyed. But unfortunately, Tukur embarked on destroying the various organs of the party. For instance, for a whole year he never held a NEC meeting. People are aware of this and he took several profound decisions all by himself. So the party was being run as Tukur’s personal estate, as he systematically estranged other stakeholders. So there was impunity on the part of Tukur. He was creating divisions and a serious sense of disunity among the party members. So what we did was to embark on a campaign to our leaders to call Tukur to order and to draw their attention to the fact that the party which got the support of Nigerians to win election in 2011 also needed to behave well and connect with the majority of members so as to win their support in subsequent elections. We also drew attention of the leaders that if we don’t change the way things are going on the party, we might not be able to get there in 2015. We even warned that even if we get to 2015 as a divided house, the precipitations might endanger the future government.”
In July 2007, Lamido announced plans to spend N2 billion in the next six months on education, using the money to rebuild schools and provide basic teaching materials. Under him, according to official records, the state reportedly “invested N450 million for training teachers teaching core courses in junior secondary schools. He initiated major construction programs, led by the Dutse Capital Development Authority and the Jigawa State Housing Authority.” Also, in September 2009, Lamido offered to provide free plots of land and basic infrastructure to investors in the tourism and hospitality business in Jigawa State.” Such populist policies were crowned in December 2009, when Lamido announced a plan by which “beggars would be given a basic monthly payment to stay off the streets.”
It is also on record that in June 2007, Lamido accused new generation banks of helping state governors to loot their treasuries, and called for tighter regulations.
With this kind of record, not many believed their ears when they first heard the news, November 2014, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) actually arrested Lamido’s two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, over alleged “misappropriation of billions of Naira belonging to Jigawa State Government.”
Operatives of the commission, who sources said had been investigating Lamido and his sons for months, alleged that “billions of state government funds were traced into accounts of companies owned and operated by the governor and his two sons.”
The travails of the former governor of Jigawa State peaked first week of July this year when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission not only re-arrested Mustapha and Aminu, but also picked up the former governor in Abuja for the alleged money laundering related offences. They were immediately flown to Kano by 2.30pm before their arraignment.
Without wasting any time, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the former governor and his two sons, saying, “I can confirm to you that the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his two sons are with the commission.”
Politics or crime?
Since it became public knowledge that Lamido and his children were being investigated over alleged financial fraud, tongues have been wagging. While his supporters allege political victimisation, his critics said millions of naira, belonging to the poor masses in Jigawa is involved.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, a political analyst from Jigawa State, who resides in Kano, told The Nation that nobody should allow himself to be blackmailed by politicians. “I don’t understand what people mean when they say that arrest and prosecution of Lamido and his children are politically motivated. Are they saying the alleged funds were not misappropriated? If that is the case, the former governor has lawyers who should defend him. I believe anybody that has defrauded the people must be arrested, tried and jailed if found guilty. Lamido is not and should not be an exception.”
Like his supporters, Lamido, who got bail after a well reported drama, is still insisting that his travail is politically motivated.
During the week, he said he bears no grudge against anyone over his incarceration by the authorities, but told journalists in his house in Kano later that his arrest and detention were politically motivated.
He said: “I am not new in detention cell, but it is part of struggle for life. The purpose is to humiliate me and my family; that is the hazard of life.
“My prison experience is not something to explain. It’s like when you are hungry; it could be difficult to explain how serious you feel it.
“My greatest happiness is the way the bail was granted on my personality. It’s something to be happy about. As Sule Lamido, how can I run away from my families, friends and political associates; It’s impossible.”
Lamido pointed out that “people should not be discouraged. If you want to serve your people or country, you should expect this hazard because it’s part of life.”
