Former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, has said his recent presidential pardon has given him a fresh start in politics, explaining that neglect by the leadership of the Kwankwasiyya movement informed his decision to part ways with the group.

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 after being accused of collecting a bribe in 2012 to remove a company’s name from the list of firms indicted in the fuel subsidy scandal. Although he served his sentence and regained freedom in October 2024, Lawan said the experience changed his perspective on politics and loyalty.

In an interview with the BBC, he said he felt abandoned by the Kwankwasiyya movement, despite his long-standing association with it.

“Whenever God puts you through a trial, He also opens your eyes to see who your true companions are,” he said, lamenting that a key figure in the movement never called to sympathise with him during or after his imprisonment.

“It’s been a year now. He never called to wish me well or say, ‘May Allah bless you for regaining your freedom,’” he said.

Lawan explained that, though he was still in the PDP while in prison, he instructed his supporters to join the NNPP during the 2023 elections. However, he now considers the party too narrow for his political aspirations.

“Politics should be expansive. The NNPP, as it is now, feels too narrow for me,” he said, adding that he prefers to focus on “mainstream national politics.” (Daily Trust)