Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned the conferment of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on businessman Gilbert Chagoury, calling it a dark day for Nigeria.
In a statement to DAILY POST on Tuesday, Frank told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the decision sends a dangerous signal, normalizing corruption and conflicts of interest at the nation’s highest levels.
Frank’s criticism comes after billionaire Femi Otedola publicly congratulated Chagoury on receiving Nigeria’s second-highest national honour.
The former APC official argued that awarding Chagoury undermines public trust and weakens the country’s anti-corruption stance, given the long-standing allegations and judicial findings linking him to money-laundering cases involving funds looted during the late General Sani Abacha regime.
“Today ranks among the saddest days of my life as a Nigerian,” Frank said, citing a 2000 Swiss court conviction against Chagoury in connection with laundering Abacha loot. He noted that Chagoury allegedly paid a fine of one million Swiss francs and returned about $66 million to the Nigerian government.
“To bestow one of our highest national honours on a person publicly tainted by allegations and judicial findings of corruption sends a deeply troubling message about our national values,” he added.
Frank warned that the decision risks turning Nigeria into “a theatre where corruption is rewarded, conflicts of interest are ignored, and foreign influence is leveraged against national and allied economic interests,” noting potential international governance implications.
He also questioned the criteria for awarding the GCON, urging Nigerians to demand clarity on Chagoury’s contributions to national development. “What hospitals, schools, or scholarships has he built or funded to merit this honor?” he asked.
“Beyond his name being linked for years to alleged corruption cases without clear conclusions, Nigerians deserve to know what qualifies him for this award and who among our business leaders has been similarly honoured,” Frank stated.
