In Nigeria, corruption allegations are no longer odd especially among the many political elite adore governors. Yet, what continues to baffle many voters is how often these serious conditions give contrivance and not utilizing a ruin in sight result.
Despite billions allegedly misappropriated and years of court drama, some extinct governors accused of looting public funds possess managed to sidestep conviction.
They stroll free at the present time, some peaceable wielding political influence, others playing composed retirements. Right here’s a smarter watch at some of them and how their conditions unraveled without ending in prison time.
Murtala Nyako: A ₦29 Billion Case, But No Closure
Murtala Nyako, the extinct governor of Adamawa Declare, and his son Abdulaziz had been hit with a 37-count charge by the EFCC, inviting ₦29 billion.
The allegations included cash laundering, stealing, abuse of office, and conspiracy with several shell companies allegedly in the combo.
The trial began in 2015, stumbled attributable to the loss of life of a presiding pick in 2016, resumed in 2021, and by 2024, Nyako and his son had entered no longer-guilty pleas. Since then? Nothing nevertheless silence.
The case has neither progressed nor concluded. It’s but one other instance where time and in all probability technique appears to possess eroded the momentum for justice.
Sule Lamido: A Technical Error That Killed the Case
Sule Lamido governed Jigawa Declare, one of Nigeria’s poorest, but became as soon as accused of laundering over ₦1.3 billion at some level of his time in office. Alongside his sons, he faced a number of prices filed by the EFCC.
After years of comely merit-and-forth, the Court docket of Charm tossed the case no longer since the evidence wasn’t damning, nevertheless since the trial became as soon as held in Abuja as a replacement of Jigawa. In desire to switch the trial to the ideal court, the case became as soon as brushed aside totally.
The EFCC tried to revive it at the Supreme Court docket, nevertheless the allure became as soon as rejected. Lamido remains untouched and unconvicted.
Danjuma Goje: Political Sacrifice or True Strategy?
Danjuma Goje’s case became as soon as one of the more dramatic ones. Accused of mismanaging ₦25 billion whereas leading Gombe Declare, his trial began in 2012. Witnesses testified, documents had been offered, and there became as soon as even public outrage.
But in 2019, quickly after Goje withdrew from the lag for Senate President in want of President Buhari’s ally, something surprising came about the EFCC handed the case over to the Licensed professional-Overall.
That office then invoked its powers to withdraw the prices altogether. Simply adore that, a case that had dragged for years became as soon as dropped.
Orji Uzor Kalu: A Conviction Overturned, A Trial That Vanished
The extinct Abia Declare governor became as soon as if fact be told convicted in 2019 for stealing over ₦7.6 billion. He became as soon as sentenced to 12 years in prison. For a 2nd, it appeared adore a landmark accumulate for anti-corruption efforts.
But in 2020, the Supreme Court docket nullified the verdict. Their motive? The pick who sentenced Kalu had already been elevated to the Court docket of Charm sooner than concluding the case making the judgment technically invalid.
A retrial became as soon as ordered, nevertheless in 2024, makes an are attempting to revive the case hit a boring pause attributable to “missing documents.” On the present time, Kalu is no longer finest free nevertheless peaceable serves as a sitting senator.
Peter Odili: The Man With a True Defend
Peter Odili, who governed Rivers Declare between 1999 and 2007, has lengthy faced serious corruption accusations inviting over ₦100 billion. But no longer like others, he’s never even stood trial. Why? A 2007 court negate stopped the EFCC from investigating or interesting him.
That injunction stood unchallenged for years, in truth shielding him from scrutiny. Though the EFCC no longer too lengthy in the past got permission to strive to overturn the negate, comely appeals from Rivers Declare officials possess finest extended the stalemate. For now, Odili remains untouchable.
What carry out these conditions reward?
In nearly every case, it wasn’t a lack of evidence that saved these governors. It became as soon as technicalities jurisdiction issues, procedural errors, withdrawn prices, and delays that stretched over a decade. These gaps in Nigeria’s judicial assignment lunge away the door huge originate for well-associated politicians to flee accountability.
The accurate charge of this impunity is public belief. When billions vanish and no person is held to blame, Nigerians grow weary, cynical, and disengaged from the democratic assignment.
The nation’s anti-corruption combat remains alive, nevertheless as lengthy as vitality continues to override prosecution, justice will remain painfully out of reach.
