Former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, says his recent presidential pardon has given him a new beginning in politics.
He explained that he decided to leave the Kwankwasiyya movement because its leaders abandoned him during his difficult times.
Lawan, who represented Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency in Kano State, was among 175 people granted presidential pardon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 9.
He was convicted in 2021 for collecting a bribe in 2012 to remove a company’s name from the list of those indicted in the fuel subsidy scandal.
After serving his sentence, Lawan was released in October 2024. He said the experience changed how he views politics and loyalty.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa monitored by The News Chronicle, Lawan revealed that he felt neglected by members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, despite his years of commitment to the group.
“Whenever God tests you, He also shows you who your true friends are,” he said, noting that a key leader in the movement never reached out to him during or after his imprisonment.
“It’s been a year now, and he never called to wish me well or say, ‘May Allah bless you for regaining your freedom,’” he added.
Lawan also disclosed that while he was still a member of the PDP during his imprisonment, he asked his supporters to join the NNPP for the 2023 elections. However, he now believes the NNPP is too limited for his political ambitions.
“Politics should be broad and inclusive. The NNPP, as it is today, feels too narrow for me,” he said, adding that he now prefers to focus on “mainstream national politics.”
