Side-chicks, Scandals, Nigerian Politics: A Deep Dive -By Abdulrofiu Muhammed Temitayo

Following the tension in the leadership crisis in Lagos State House of Assembly that culminated in the impeachment and subsequent reinstatement of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, the key political actors in Lagos State’s government, including Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, and other legislative members like Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda, played different roles in the political brouhaha. The intense events, many hoped that governance in the state would improve despite political differences. Despite all the reconciliation by the machineries of the APC in Lagos, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and a panel led by Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba facilitated negotiations between the factions, including President Bola Tinubu, who implored that his Lagos master plan be executed, not minding whose ox is gored.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, currently serving his second term as Lagos State governor, has been enjoying the political dynamics of the state based on the relationship between Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu. The rapport is complex but fundamentally rooted in a shared political framework and loyalty to the APC. While striving to establish his legacy as Lagos State governor, Sanwo-Olu maintained a cautious relationship with Tinubu, recognising its importance to his political career. Any tension between them was carefully managed to avoid public conflict, given the potential political fallout. However, this balance was disrupted by a leadership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly in early 2025, which introduced new challenges. Before this, Sanwo-Olu had enjoyed the presidency’s favour, representing its political agenda on local, national, and international stages.

If there is a rift between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, it may be due to political differences, governance decisions, or conflicting loyalties within their party. Lagos politics is always deeply entangled with Tinubu’s legacy and influence; the conceivable discord and its implications shed further light on the status quo. Currently, the alleged rift remains speculative and lacks concrete evidence. It reflects the interplay of governance, loyalty, and ambition in Lagos politics. Resolving such issues would require maintaining unity within the APC and preserving Lagos’s status as a model of governance under Tinubu’s influence. The potential conflicts could stem from political ambitions, succession plans, loyalty disputes, resource management, governance policies, external influence, or public perception shaped by media narratives.

Aisha Abubakar Achimugu, a billionaire socialite and associate of Jide Sanwo-Olu, serves as the GMD and CEO of Felak Concept Group and Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas. She was declared wanted and later arrested by the EFCC. This development followed her extravagant seven-day 50th birthday celebration in St. George, Grenada. The event, held at Calivigny Island and Silversands Resort on Grand Anse Beach, reportedly cost $132,000 per night. Over 200 guests, including business tycoons and media personalities, attended the lavish affair, which featured private jet transfers, a luxury yacht, and displays of high-end fashion like Hermès bags valued at $80,000. Upon returning to Nigeria, Achimugu continued the celebrations with an evening party at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and also a dinner party at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja. She has been recognised by various international, national, and local organisations through her companies, Bluewave Exploration and Production Limited and SAM Empowerment Foundation. Her accolades include the President Biden Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), the Sun Newspapers Award (2025), the Champion Newspapers Award (2024), the African Female Business Leader of the Year (2024), and the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) – National Honours Award (2023).

The EFCC clarified that its investigation into 167 bank accounts, allegedly linked to criminal conspiracy and money laundering, has no connection to Sanwo-Olu or Atiku. It is a complex case that needs clarification with some preceding occurrences by the businesswomen and politicians, which the court has been aiding in making sure she gets justice and fairness. The court ruled that “no court has the power to stop the investigative powers of the police or EFCC or any agency established under our laws to investigate crimes when there is reasonable suspicion of the commission of a crime or ample evidence of the commission of an offence by a suspect.”

Aisha Achimugu rose from modest roots to establish herself as a leader in Nigeria’s business world, reflecting her grit and perseverance. She excelled above her contemporaries in the industry through a unique combination of attributes, strategies, and accomplishments, including diverse industry expertise, leadership, innovation, philanthropy, empowerment initiatives, global recognition, and awards. She was alleged to have a social and professional relationship with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the specifics of their alliance remain a topic of public interest and speculation in the context of ongoing investigations and the political sequence of events. Moreover, some reports have suspected that Achimugu was romantically involved with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Nevertheless, the truth of these allegations remains unclear, and it is important to investigate them thoroughly before drawing conclusions. Aisha Achimugu was previously married to Engineer Sulaiman Achimugu, the former Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC). They had three children together before his passing in 2020 due to complications from COVID-19.

Nigeria has witnessed several high-profile scandals involving politicians and alleged extramarital affairs. In 2013, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was embroiled in a scandal involving Maryam Yaro, a married assistant director at the CBN. The reports of Sanusi facilitating Maryam Yaro’s employment and their alleged trips together at the bank’s expense raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest and misuse of public funds. In 2020, Ikedi Ohakim was involved in a public dispute with Chinyere Amuchienwa, a businesswoman he had an affair with. Ohakim accused her of assault and blackmail. In response, she claimed that he had promised to marry her but failed to keep his word. The altercation reportedly occurred in a hotel room in Abuja. In 2016, Samuel Ikon and two other lawmakers were accused by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria of sexual misconduct during a leadership training in Cleveland, Ohio. Ikon denied the allegations and was later cleared by the Ethics Committee of the Nigerian National Assembly.

One of the most infamous political scandals in history came to light in 1998. It involved the affair between then U.S. President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The scandal led to Clinton’s impeachment by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice, though he was later acquitted by the Senate. In 2011, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a potential French presidential candidate, was accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York. Although authorities dropped the criminal charges, the scandal ended his political career. John Edwards, a former U.S. senator and vice-presidential candidate, had an affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter while his wife was battling cancer. The scandal came to light during his 2008 presidential campaign, leading to the end of his political career. In 2014, French President François Hollande’s affair with actress Julie Gayet was exposed by the media. Hollande was in a long-term relationship with journalist Valérie Trierweiler at the time, and the scandal caused a significant public and personal fallout. Before marrying Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince Charles admitted to an affair with her while still married to Princess Diana. The scandal became public knowledge after Diana’s famous interview in which she stated, “There were three of us in this marriage.”

The reasons some politicians might engage in extramarital relationships or have “side-chicks” are complex and vary from individual to individual. Some possible motivations and contributing factors include power, privilege, a sense of entitlement, access to opportunities, stress, the need to escape, relief from pressure, companionship, validation, ego-boosting, confidence, perceived charisma, personal weakness, lack of discipline, poor impulse control, and flaws. Cultural and societal factors also play a role, as does the normalisation of infidelity, peer influence, and exploitative relationships. Politicians may engage in extramarital relationships for various reasons, but such actions cannot be justified. Infidelity harms families, damages reputations, and undermines public trust, mostly for public figures expected to maintain high ethical standards.

Politicians involved in misappropriating public funds use various tactics to divert money from government accounts for personal benefit. These methods include inflated contracts, kickbacks, diversion of allocated funds, and creating ghost workers on payrolls in the execution of project works. Other common practices include money laundering through shell companies and fake businesses, public procurement scams, and the mismanagement of development or relief funds. These actions lead to the accumulation of large sums of money. Such financial misconduct results in underfunded projects in infrastructure, healthcare, and education, slowing development and worsening poverty levels. Corruption weakens government institutions, erodes public trust, and discourages investment, leading to economic instability. Over time, systemic corruption harms democracy and increases public disillusionment with leadership.

Temitayo writes from Benin City, Edo State Capital and can be reached on muhtay99@gmail.com