Some members of the House of Representatives have denied the allegation by Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) that two candidates seeking to become Senate President and Speaker are offering to bribe their fellow lawmakers with as much as $1 million each to get elected.
Governors elected on the platform of Nigerias ruling party, All Progressives Congress, (APC), had claimed in a memo to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, that two aspirants to the positions were offering bribe.
Recall that the PGF had, in a memo, called for the intervention of Mr Tinubu on the zoning of the principal offices of the federal parliament. The governors recommended a zoning formula for the offices.
However, two members of the House of Representatives Akin Alabi (APC, Oyo) and Rolland Igbakpa (PDP, Delta) on Wednesday while appearing on PT Twitter Space. The space, titled: How should 10th National Assembly Leadership be zoned?, denied the allegation, noting that none of the lawmakers has that type of money.
Alabi, who represents Egbeda/Ona-Ara federal constituency of Oyo State, said lobby and campaigning by different candidates are ongoing in the two chambers, however, no one has offered any lawmaker money to vote in any particular direction.
He recalled that in 2019, lawmakers did not only vote for the current Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, they spent their money to assist with logistics. However, Alabi conceded that leadership election is expensive; particularly in terms of logistics. According to him, aspirants for the position have to move around the country to visit governors.
He disclosed that aspirants sometimes have to hire private jets in making these rounds.
Igbakpa, on his part, denied the governors claim, adding that they may have exaggerated the matter. However, he also stated that campaigning for the leadership of the National Assembly is expensive.
About 10 members of the House are jostling for the Speakership position, while eight senators and senators-elect are eyeing the Senate presidency. The 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated on June13, and elections for Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker will hold after members have been inaugurated.
