Criminal Politics: Violence, “Godfathers” and Corruption in Nigeria

Money flows up and down…these honorable members [of the Oyo
State House of Assembly], during the election period, they want the
patronage of the puppeteer. Afterwards money will flow in the
opposite direction—back from the puppet to the puppeteer. 97
In some cases godfathers are themselves public officials, using their access to
public funds to sponsor lower-level officials. 98
Godfatherism is both a symptom and a cause of the violence and corruption that
together permeate the political process in Nigeria. Public officials who owe their
position to the efforts of a political godfather incur a debt that they are expected to
repay without end throughout their tenure in office. Godfathers are only relevant
because politicians are able to deploy violence and corruption with impunity to
compete for office in contests that often effectively, and sometimes actually, exclude
Nigeria’s voters altogether. But their activities also help to reinforce the central role
of violence and corruption in politics by making it even more difficult to win elected
office without resorting to the illegal tactics they represent. Nigeria’s godfatherism
phenomenon is not unique to the ruling PDP, but as with many of the other abuses
described in this report it is seen most often in the conduct of PDP officials as both a
cause and a result of the party’s success in maintaining itself in power.
This report provides detailed accounts of human rights abuses fueled by the
activities of two of Nigeria’s best-known political godfathers. The Oyo State case
study below describes the power wielded by Chief Lamidi Adedibu. Adedibu, a
dominant figure in the PDP in Oyo, has been instrumental in preventing free and fair
elections and placing violence and corruption at the heart of politics in his state. The
Anambra State case study discusses another of Nigeria’s iconic political godfathers,
Chris Uba, who is a member of the PDP’s national Board of Trustees.
97 Human Rights Watch interview with Victor Olunloyo, Ibadan, February 8, 2007.
98 To cite one relatively minor example, in Rivers State it was widely believed that the chairman of Etche local government was
rigged into office with the backing of a Commissioner in the State government at the time. Opponents of the chairman alleged
that he made regular payments to that Commissioner out of local government coffers. Human Rights Watch, Chop Fine, pp. 64-
75.
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