REVELATIONS from a leaked United States government cable reveal that prominent lawyer Afe Babalola disbursed at least $1.125 million to five judges who presided over the Court of Appeal in the early 2000s to obtain a favourable ruling for his client, then Adamawa State governor Boni Haruna.
Mr Babalola allegedly bribed a panel of five appellate judges, headed by Justice Pius Olayiwola Aderemi, with $225,000 each to reinstate Mr Haruna after an election petitions tribunal ousted him on the basis of electoral malpractice, according to classified U.S. intelligence published by the global transparency group, WikiLeaks.
The document referenced a senior lawyer who followed Mr Babalola in delivering tens of millions of naira to appellate judges to secure a desired verdict.
At 95 years old, Mr Babalola had built a reputation for winning cases throughout his legal career, making him a highly sought-after advocate among Nigeria’s elite, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, governors, and other high-profile figures.
However, a lawyer on Mr Babalola’s team disclosed to the U.S. government that the senior advocate won the controversial case through bribery, claiming he was one of those who transported N30 million in untraceable banknotes to bribe the justices at Mr Babalola’s direction.
U.S. diplomats expressed alarm at the stark contrast between the tribunal’s ruling, which annulled Mr Haruna’s victory, and the Court of Appeal’s decision that reinstated him.
“The verdicts of the appeals court and the election tribunal varied so widely in their findings that they raise questions about whether one verdict or the other may have been ‘influenced’ by outside parties,” stated the foreign cable.
The witness confirmed that securing judgments through bribery “was standard procedure” in such high-profile cases, further suggesting that the “court reinstatement” of Mr Haruna’s governorship came at a cost of N30 million.
“An attorney for Haruna remarked that the outcome was assured in typical Nigerian fashion: with cash,” the leaked U.S. cable elaborated. “The attorney, part of Mr Babalola’s team, indicated that when President Obasanjo sent Babalola to oversee the appeal, he also provided funds meant for that purpose.”
Mr Haruna was one of the first governors charged with corruption by the anti-corruption commission, EFCC, following his departure from office in 2008.
Mr Babalola did not respond to requests for clarification regarding the contents of the classified U.S. cable.
The WikiLeaks documents have dashed any hopes Mr Babalola may have had to defend himself against corruption claims made by rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, 56, who accused the senior advocate of purchasing verdicts rather than relying on merit-based arguments in his book.
Not only did Mr Babalola deploy police to assault and detain Mr Farotimi on 3 December over a defamation allegation, but he also orchestrated Mr Farotimi’s transport from Lagos to Ekiti—an area where the nonagenarian has considerable influence—on a five-hour road journey.
Public outrage erupted as Nigerians were appalled that Mr Babalola would resort to such crude methods to silence his younger colleague over allegations of corruption—matters that could have been addressed through civil litigation.
The nonagenarian has vehemently denied the corruption accusations, asserting that he will not relent until he clears his name. Supporters of Mr Babalola are calling for Mr Farotimi to apologise, retract the allegations, and allow the issue to rest.
Conversely, Mr Farotimi’s supporters hope he will ignore such requests, given the brutal treatment he has endured.
The controversy surrounding the book, which initially saw low sales after its July release, quickly propelled it to bestseller status on Amazon within three days of the author’s incarceration, as inquisitive Nigerians flocked to the site to read the explosive corruption claims against Mr Babalola.
The book has sold out in popular outlets like Tinu-Ade Bookshop in Ibadan and VIC Bookstore in Abuja, with many Nigerians eager to purchase it.
Supporters of the author plan to stage protests across various locations in Abuja, Lagos, Ekiti, and at King’s College London, which received a £10 million donation from Mr Babalola in 2023.
These demonstrations aim to highlight the precarious state of freedom in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Credit: PeoplesGazatte
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