Lessons from Nwaoboshi’s Fall

Notes for File

Political leaders should learn lessons from the fate of the Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi. This powerful senator was captured last week and put in prison following the judgment of the Court of Appeal Lagos Division which convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for money laundering.

Nwaoboshi, who had been on the run for months was intercepted by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a hospital in Lagos last Monday and remanded in Ikoyi Custodial Centre to commence his prison term.

The Court of Appeal had in a judgment it delivered on July 1, 2022, sentenced him to prison after it convicted him on a two-count charge of money laundering and also ordered the winding up of his two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Suiming Electrical Limited, in line with the provision of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021. Their properties were forfeited to the federal government.

But the lawmaker, who was not present in court at the time of the ruling, went underground and refused to present himself to the Nigerian Correctional Service. Instead, he proceeded to the Supreme Court, praying the apex court to set aside the judgment of the appeal court and also grant him bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

But in a unanimous decision on January 27, 2023, the apex court dismissed the application. In the lead judgment by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court wondered why Nwaoboshi, who refused to submit himself to the law, would seek the indulgence of the law.

Justice Tijjani Abubakar, in his contribution, upbraided the appellant for filing the bail application while on the run.

The Court of Appeal judgment that convicted Nwaoboshi followed an appeal by the EFCC against the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which had on June 18, 2021, discharged and acquitted the lawmaker and his companies.

Even as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Nwaoboshi was like a Lord. Everybody kowtowed and bowed to him. His words were full of power and authority. But everything has changed dramatically.

What has suddenly befallen him is a lesson to all those who think that they are powerful.