BY STEVE OLANREWAJU
The recent attempts to link Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the asset forfeiture case involving Oceangate Engineering and Aisha Achimugu represent a troubling shift in our political culture. While the case itself is a legal matter currently undergoing the appellate process, the speed with which certain groups have attempted to “rope in” the Governor by association is alarming.
Justice is personal, not collective. To suggest guilt based on tenuous social or professional associations—without a shred of demonstrable evidence—is a subversion of due process.
We are witnessing a situation where narratives are manufactured to discredit an administration as it approaches its conclusion, regardless of its actual performance metrics.
Lagos deserves a discourse rooted in sobriety and facts. If we allow “guilt by association” to replace the standard of evidence, we discourage capable individuals from public service. Let the courts handle the legalities of Oceangate; let the public evaluate the Governor on his record of governance, not on the strength of a manufactured scandal.
The health of a democracy is measured not just by the conduct of its leaders, but by the integrity of the yardsticks used to judge them. Fairness and due process are not mere suggestions; they are the bedrock of a functional society. To discard them in favor of “guilt by association” is to create a volatile system where reputation is sacrificed to perception rather than proof.
THE ANATOMY OF A FORCED NARRATIVE
The catalyst for this recent noise is a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja regarding an asset forfeiture involving Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited and businesswoman Aisha Achimugu. The court ordered the final forfeiture of approximately $13 million, citing insufficient evidence regarding the funds’ legitimacy.
Oceangate has since exercised its constitutional right to appeal, maintaining that the order was based on suspicion rather than concrete proof of wrongdoing. This is a standard legal trajectory. However, what followed was anything but standard.
Almost immediately, a segment of the media and political commentators began weaving a web of insinuation, attempting to “rope in” Governor Sanwo-Olu. Despite a total lack of evidence or a direct nexus to the case, these narratives have been pushed with a speed that suggests a pre-planned agenda.
THE DANGER OF “GUILT BY ASSOCIATION”
This is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a deepening malaise in our political culture. We are witnessing the rise of a climate where Association is equated with culpability. Conjecture replaces evidence. Unverified rumors take center stage while judicial facts are relegated to the background.
To suggest that Governor Sanwo-Olu is under investigation by the EFCC in relation to this matter is not just inaccurate—it is a deliberate attempt to discredit his administration as it nears its final chapter.
DEFENDING THE INTEGRITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE
There is a particularly cynical logic currently at play: the idea that a public official’s exit from office must inevitably be followed by an indictment. This “pre-booked” suspicion turns public service into a gauntlet of manufactured scandals rather than an opportunity for impact.
While the Sanwo-Olu administration—like any other—is open to legitimate critique based on policy and performance, that critique must be anchored in reality. To judge a sitting governor on the strength of “perceived connections” rather than his record of urban modernization and economic competitiveness is a disservice to the office and the people of Lagos.
THE PATH FORWARD
The legal matters involving Oceangate will be settled where they belong: in the Court of Appeal. The judiciary is the only appropriate venue for determining the merits of that case.
As the current administration enters its twilight, Lagos deserves a public discourse defined by sobriety and factual evaluation, not by the amplification of malicious speculation.
Governance must retain its dignity, and service must retain its honor. Without these, the foundation of our democracy stands diminished.
BOS IN LAGOS:
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s arrival in Lagos marked a significant shift in Lagos’ trajectory. His tenure has, so far been a game changer for the state, shifting the paradigm within a short time and setting the tone for the state’s response to the pandemic, which was later adopted as a national model.
BOS’s tenure has been marked by notable achievements across various sectors of the economy. He elevated the standards of excellence in governance, earning recognition and accolades. His efforts deserve not only praise but also awards.
From road development, housing, light up Lagos, key bridges, rail development, hospital and health centres, new schools across Lagos and other key projects like the highly innovative Opebi – Ojota bridge nearing completion, as well as other fly overs in strategic locations like Yaba, Ojuelegba and other parts of Lagos, the smart and suave Governor has performed creditably well. His reward should be a standing ovation.
Sanwoolu’s achievements deserve to be documented to inspire future Governors in Lagos.