politics
deny receiving $30,000 bribe to reverse polls reordering bill
Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday denied an allegation that they received $30,000 bribe to back down from overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill, 2018.
They described it as “pure falsehood” intended to intimidate lawmakers to abandon their insistence of changing the sequence of elections ahead of the 2019 polls.
The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, referred the issue to the Committee on Ethics/Privileges for investigation after a member raised it as a matter of privilege.
The member, Mr. Abubakar Danburam-Nuhu, who is from Kano State, said the bribery allegation dented his image as a legislator, “especially when it is not true.”
Buhari had rejected the controversial amendment, which sought to change the order of elections by placing the presidential poll last. He withheld his assent to the bill.
But, the House in particular, began a process of passing the bill again for Buhari’s signature.
However, before the referral, lawmakers took turns to express their anger over the allegation and threatened to initiate legal actions against the media houses that published the allegation.
Danburam-Nuhu said following the allegation, his constituency had begun to question his integrity, allegedly accusing him of taking bribe.
He added, “I earned my reputation through hard work and I will not sit here and allow people to say things that are not true.
“This matter should be thoroughly investigated by the Committee on Ethics/Privileges.”
Another member from Kogi State, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, told the House that the allegation was a “fabrication to paint the House in bad light.”
He spoke further, “We know the truth. The truth is that there is no such transaction in this House.
“What they are trying to do is to cast aspersions on the integrity of the legislature.”
An All Progressives Congress member from Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Madaki, challenged anyone making such an allegation to produce the evidence.
He said, “The questions to ask are: ‘bribe by whom? In whose interest? If we are to veto the President, is it not part of the powers of the legislature?’
“It is wrong to assume that everybody is corrupt and everyone accepts bribe.
“Let me state that no amount of intimidation and threats will stop us from doing what is right. So long as our constituencies support us, we will do it.”
A member from Abia State, Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, asked whose interest the lawmakers would be serving by reversing a bill they had long passed.
“Who is afraid of the elections sequence? We must complete this change. We were not influenced when we passed the bill. Why is someone now saying that dollars are being used to change it again?”
But, the Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said a preferred line of action was to sue the media organisations that published the alleged bribery.
Gbajabiamila argued that suing the media houses and their reporters was the only way to stop what he called “incessant attacks” on the National Assembly.
He added, “This is a matter for litigation. It is the only way to stop the incessant attacks on the National Assembly.
“Bribery and corruption are criminal offences punishable by a term of imprisonment. The only defence in this matter is truth and proof.
“We are about going home for Easter. Before long, our constituents will come to us to ask for their own share of a bribe that does not exist.”
However, Dogara directed that the matter should first be investigated by the Committee on Ethics/Privileges to guide the House on what course of action to take in a law court.
“It is a matter of privilege. By our rules, matters of privilege are investigated by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges,” the Speaker said.
politics
Breaking : Accord Party Faces Internal Crisis in Osun as Bamigbola Emerges for 2026 After Adeleke
A faction of the Accord Party has produced Clement Bamigbola as its governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun State election, just four days after the emergence of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s flagbearer.
Newsthumb recalls that Adeleke had emerged on Wednesday as the party’s candidate, being the sole aspirant in the exercise.
However, a faction of the party rejected his emergence, insisting that Barrister Maxwell Ngbudem is not the legally recognised national chairman of the Accord Party.
In a fresh development on Sunday, about 300 delegates of the Accord Party from across Osun State elected Bamigbola as the factional candidate during a primary held at Regina Suite, Osogbo.
Bamigbola emerged through a voice vote conducted by the delegates, after which the Chairman of the Primary Committee, Hon. Olufemi Ogundare, declared him the party’s candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Following his declaration, Ogundare and other party leaders formally presented the party’s flag to Bamigbola ahead of the 2026 contest.
politics
2026: Tinubu Hosts Osun APC Aspirants in Aso Villa, Emphasizes Unity and Consensus Building
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appealed to governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2026 election for unity and consensus-building ahead of the party’s primary on December 13.
The President made the appeal when he met with the aspirants at the State House, Abuja, on Monday night.
The Osun State governorship aspirants who attended the meeting with the President include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Chairman of the Progressive Governors, Hope Uzodimma; and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
President Tinubu, who praised all the aspirants for their contributions to the APC in Osun State, urged them to close ranks and support the consensus candidate the party will present for the governorship election in the state. He also advised them to avoid the internal bickering and disunity that caused the party to lose the last election in the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.
While harping on the importance of party supremacy, President Tinubu charged the aspirants to allow it to prevail in choosing the flagbearer, noting that only the party can benefit from it when it wins elections.
“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State. You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy and collective responsibility. I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory to our party in Osun State. You have my support and that of the National leadership of APC to win the coming election,” President Tinubu assured.
At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was issued in which the aspirants and the leaders committed to support the candidate who would emerge at the primary.
Here is the statement signed by all the aspirants and the APC leaders: “We, the undersigned aspirants for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having met and deliberated in the presence of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and in the spirit of unity, discipline, and loyalty to our great party, hereby declare as follows:
That we affirm and uphold the supremacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in guiding and determining the most appropriate process for selecting the party’s flag bearer for the 2025 Governorship Election in Osun State.
That we unanimously agree to abide by the party’s decision to nominate a consensus candidate for affirmation at the APC Primary Election scheduled for Saturday, 13th December 2025.
That we accept the outcome of the party-led nomination process in good faith, and pledge our total support to the candidate so nominated and affirmed.
That we commit ourselves to peace, unity, and cohesion within the APC, and pledge not to engage in any act, public or private, that may undermine the integrity of the process or the standing of the party.
That we will work collectively and individually to ensure the success of the APC at the polls and the consolidation of good governance in Osun State.
“We make this declaration voluntarily, in absolute loyalty to our great party, and in recognition of the guidance provided by Mr President and the National Chairman in the overriding interest of the progress and stability of Osun State”.
There was jubilation on Wednesday as Governor Ademola Adeleke emerged the Accord Party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke, who was the sole aspirant, secured 145 out of 150 delegate votes to clinch the party’s ticket.
The outcome of the primary election was announced by the Secretary of the Primary Committee, Abdulazeez Salaudeen.
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