By Abiola Olawale
The House of Representatives has rejected claims that its members were each offered $5,000 as an inducement to approve President Bola Tinubu’s request for a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The rebuttal comes amid rumours and public speculation following the House’s recent decision to ratify the emergency declaration of Tinubu, which also included a six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all elected assembly members.
Deputy House Spokesman, Hon. Philip Agbese, addressed the allegations on Saturday, calling them “pure fiction” and an unfair attack on the integrity of the Parliament.
He emphasized that the decision was made out of patriotism and a commitment to restoring lasting peace in Rivers State, not financial gain.
Agbese clarified that the resolution followed extensive deliberations and was in line with the House’s constitutional duty to safeguard national stability.
He further noted that the House had proposed the formation of a tripartite committee comprising eminent Nigerians, parliamentarians, and executive council members, to mediate between warring factions in the state and seek an amicable resolution.
Dismissing the bribery claims as the work of “fifth columnists” and opposition forces, Agbese accused detractors of attempting to tarnish the Parliament’s reputation.
He said: “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. What we did on Thursday was to align ourselves with what I call the wisdom of King Solomon.
“All insinuations that any individual was given money to give to members is nothing but lies from the pit of hell. The opposition should see the good things that we are doing day and night for the country.
“At no point did members of the House engage in any financial inducement in relation to the state of emergency declaration. The decision was taken after extensive deliberations on the security and political situation in Rivers State, in line with our constitutional responsibilities to safeguard national stability. Any suggestion that lawmakers were bribed is pure fiction, designed to serve the interests of those who seek to distort facts and create unnecessary tension in the country.
“The House of Representatives remains an independent institution guided by democratic principles, the rule of law, and the collective will of the Nigerian people. We must make decisions that align with the national interest, not succumb to baseless distractions aimed at eroding public trust. The allegations of bribery are a desperate attempt to discredit the House and must be dismissed as the political comedy that it is.
“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. These people in Rivers, are all interested in the progress and development of Rivers State. They love the state, and they are working hard for it. But one way or the other, disagreements arose among the parties, which escalated, and Mr President, in his wisdom, decided to impose a state of emergency for a period of time to allow the two parties to come together to further deepen our democracy.”
