NEWS
‘We Were Not Paid $5,000 To Back Rivers Emergency Declaration’ – Reps
The House of Representatives has strongly denied allegations that lawmakers were bribed with $5,000 each to approve President Bola Tinubu’s request for a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese (Benue, APC), dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated, insisting that the decision was made in the interest of national stability.
“The allegation that members of the House of Representatives were induced with $5,000 to pass a resolution is unfair to the Parliament. Very, very unfair to the Parliament,” Agbese stated. “All insinuations that any individual was given money to give to members is nothing but lies from the pit of hell.”
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The lawmaker explained that the House thoroughly debated the security and political crisis in Rivers State before ratifying the emergency declaration.
According to him, the move was aimed at preventing further escalation of tensions in the state.
“What the President did was like what King Solomon did when the two women who were fighting over the propriety of a child came to him,” Agbese said.
“These people in Rivers love the state, but disagreements arose, and Mr. President, in his wisdom, decided to impose a state of emergency for a period of time so they can come together.”
Before approving the emergency declaration, the House made several adjustments, Agbese revealed. These include:
Assigning the National Assembly legislative authority over Rivers State during the emergency period.
Allowing for a flexible timeframe, meaning the emergency could end in as little as two weeks if peace is restored, rather than the initial six-month period.
Establishing a tripartite committee comprising lawmakers, government officials, and respected Nigerians to mediate between the conflicting parties.
Agbese rejected suggestions that lawmakers acted under external influence, stating that their primary concern was maintaining democratic stability.
“As a Parliament, our interest is to form a bridge, to ensure that our democracy continues to work. Our interest is to protect our democracy and democratic institutions,” he said.
He further emphasized President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, dismissing claims that the state of emergency was an attempt to weaken governance in Rivers State.
“We know Mr. President very well. He is a democrat. He has fought for the institutions of our democracy. He is one man who would always want to protect this democracy,” Agbese noted.
Addressing concerns over the legitimacy of the approval process, Agbese confirmed that the House met the required quorum, with 243 members in attendance.
He urged Nigerians to ignore what he described as misinformation spread by political opponents and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to acting in the best interest of the nation.
“We deployed our wisdom as a Parliament, not to pander to sentiments or views expressed by groups outside. We listen to the voices of Nigerians,” he said.
Agbese expressed confidence that the emergency measures will ultimately strengthen Rivers State’s political institutions, ensuring long-term peace and stability in the region.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, on Thursday visited Bauchi State for a closed-door meeting with Governor Bala Mohammed amid growing political realignments in the country.
Obi, who is also a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opposition coalition, arrived at the Bauchi State Government House where he proceeded to a private meeting with the governor at the Presidential Lounge.
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The purpose of the visit was not immediately known as both politicians held discussions behind closed doors.
Details of the meeting remained undisclosed at the time of filing this report.
However, sources within the Government House suggested that the meeting may be connected to recent political developments and possible alignments ahead of future elections, though this could not be independently verified.
Both leaders are expected to brief journalists after the meeting concludes.
Governor Bala Mohammed, who serves as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has recently been at the center of political speculation regarding his party allegiance.
On March 31, he reportedly hinted at a possible political shift during a meeting with a delegation of the African Democratic Congress led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at the Government House in Bauchi.
However, his political engagements appeared to take a different turn shortly after, as he also hosted the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, alongside Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on April 1 at the same venue.
The latest meeting with Obi has further intensified speculation about ongoing political consultations and possible future alignments among key political actors.
President Bola Tinubu has requested the approval of the Senate for a fresh external borrowing of $516.33 million, in a move that is expected to further raise concerns over Nigeria’s growing debt profile.
The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and was read during plenary on Thursday at the National Assembly.
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According to the letter, the proposed loan is to be sourced from Deutsche Bank and will be used to finance a key infrastructure component under the government’s already approved borrowing programme—the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway project, a major road corridor designed to enhance connectivity across the country.
President Tinubu, in the request, urged the Senate to give the proposal expedited consideration and approval, stressing the importance of the project to national infrastructure development and economic growth.
Following the reading of the letter, Senate President Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, directing the committee to examine the proposal and submit its report within one week.
The latest borrowing request comes amid ongoing national debates over Nigeria’s debt sustainability, as the federal government continues to rely on external loans to fund large-scale infrastructure projects.
A Kaduna State High Court has rejected the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, ordering that he remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) pending the determination of his trial.
The ruling was delivered by Justice D.H. Khobo, who held that the seriousness of the allegations against the former governor, as well as concerns over possible interference with ongoing investigations, made the grant of bail inappropriate at this stage.
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El-Rufai had approached the court seeking release on bail pending trial over a nine-count charge filed by the Federal Government through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He argued that the offences were not capital in nature and that he posed no flight risk, citing his community ties, fixed residences, and willingness to cooperate with investigators.
He also told the court that he voluntarily returned to Nigeria to honour official invitations and challenged the validity of the charges, describing them as defective.
Additionally, he raised health concerns, requesting bail on medical grounds.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the alleged offences were serious and economically damaging, with a likelihood that the defendant could interfere with witnesses and ongoing investigations.
In his ruling, Justice Khobo held that the gravity of the charges and the risk of interference outweighed the arguments for bail.
The court also ruled that insufficient medical evidence had been provided to justify release on health grounds.
The judge therefore ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody and directed that the trial proceed on an accelerated basis, fixing early hearing dates for the case.
The former governor will remain detained as proceedings continue in the high-profile corruption trial.
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