EVIDENCE REVEALED! US Document EXPOSES Afe Babalola, Reveals Big Money He Paid To Bribe Judges Over Adamawa Governorship Judgement
Fresh revelations from a leaked U. S. government cable have implicated prominent Nigerian lawyer, Afe Babalola, in a $1. 125 million bribery scandal to secure a favorable Court of Appeal ruling for his client, Boni Haruna, then Governor of Adamawa State. The documents, published by global transparency group WikiLeaks, suggest that Mr. Babalola bribed five appellate judges with $225, 000 each to overturn an election tribunal verdict that nullified Mr. Haruna’ s victory on grounds of electoral malpractice.
The appellate panel, led by Justice Pius Olayiwola Aderemi, allegedly reinstated Mr. Haruna as governor after receiving cash payments facilitated by Mr. Babalola and his legal team. According to the leaked cable, a senior lawyer on Mr. Babalola’ s team revealed to U. S. officials how the money— approximately ₦30 million in untraceable banknotes— was delivered to the judges to secure the desired outcome.
The leaked cable underscored a significant contrast between the tribunal’ s findings and the appellate court’ s verdict. U. S. diplomats, alarmed by the discrepancies, expressed suspicions about undue external influence. ” The verdicts of the appeals court and the election tribunal differed so significantly on their findings of the relevant facts that they beg the question of whether one verdict or the other may have been ‘ influenced’ by outside parties, ” the cable noted.
The unnamed lawyer confirmed that purchasing judgments was a routine practice in such high- stakes cases. ” According to an attorney for Haruna, the outcome was ensured in typical Nigerian fashion: with cash, ” the cable stated.
The revelations have sparked outrage among Nigerians, who view the scandal as emblematic of systemic corruption in the judiciary.
Afe Babalola, now 95, is renowned for his legal acumen and high- profile clientele, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and several governors. However, the latest allegations cast a shadow over his celebrated career. The U. S. cable suggests that Mr. Obasanjo played a role in the case, allegedly dispatching Mr. Babalola to handle the appeal and providing funds for the alleged bribery.
Mr. Haruna, who later faced corruption charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2008, was one of the first governors targeted by the anti- graft agency.
The resurfaced allegations have reignited debates about judicial integrity in Nigeria. They also come amid a separate controversy involving rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, who accused Mr. Babalola of securing judgments through bribery in his recently published book.
Mr. Babalola responded to Mr. Farotimi’ s allegations with legal and extrajudicial measures, including deploying the police to arrest and detain the rights lawyer on December 3 over defamation claims. Mr. Farotimi was reportedly subjected to a grueling five- hour road trip from Lagos to Ekiti, where Mr. Babalola wields considerable influence.
Nigerians have condemned the tactics used against Mr. Farotimi, viewing them as an abuse of power. Critics argue that the matter, being a civil dispute, should be resolved in court rather than through coercion.
The controversy has fueled public interest in Mr. Farotimi’ s book, which initially experienced low sales following its release in July. Since his arrest, the book has become a bestseller on Amazon and sold out in major bookstores across Nigeria, including Tinu- Ade Bookshop in Ibadan and VIC Bookstore in Abuja.
Supporters of Mr. Farotimi have announced plans for nationwide protests in Abuja, Lagos, Ekiti, and at King’ s College London, which received a £10 million donation from Mr. Babalola in 2023. The protests aim to highlight the broader issues of judicial corruption and dwindling freedoms under President Bola Tinubu’ s administration.
While Mr. Babalola has vehemently denied the corruption allegations, he has insisted on pursuing legal action to clear his name. His supporters have called on Mr. Farotimi to retract his statements and apologize. However, Mr. Farotimi’ s allies maintain that he should stand firm and refuse to bow to intimidation.
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