A former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, has said his recent presidential pardon has given him a fresh start in politics, adding that the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is too small to accommodate his political ambition.
Lawan, who represented Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State, was among 175 persons granted presidential pardon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 9.
The former lawmaker was convicted in 2021 on three counts of corruption for allegedly collecting a bribe in 2012 to remove a company’s name from a list of firms indicted in the fuel subsidy scam. He completed his jail term and regained freedom in October 2024.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Lawan said the experience during his incarceration reshaped his views about politics and loyalty, adding that he felt neglected by the leadership of the Kwankwasiyya movement, to which he belonged for years.
“Whenever God puts you through a trial, He also opens your eyes to see who your true companions are,” Lawan said, lamenting that a top figure in the movement never reached out to him throughout his ordeal.
“It’s been a year now. He never called to wish me well or even to say, ‘May Allah bless you for regaining your freedom,’” he added.
Lawan explained that while he remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his imprisonment, he had instructed his supporters to join the NNPP ahead of the 2023 general elections.
However, he said his current political outlook had outgrown the NNPP, describing the party as too restrictive for his new political direction.
“Politics should be broad and inclusive. The NNPP, as it stands now, feels too narrow for me,” he said, adding that he plans to rejoin “mainstream national politics” in the coming months.
