The House of Representatives has strongly refuted allegations that lawmakers demanded bribes from vice-chancellors of federal universities in exchange for approving their 2025 budget allocations, describing the reports as a deliberate smear campaign.
Reacting to the claims, the House, through its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, dismissed the allegations on Wednesday, stating that they lacked merit and were aimed at tarnishing the integrity of the legislative body.
“The 10th House of Representatives remains committed to transparency, accountability, and upholding the highest ethical standards,” Rotimi stated.
“These baseless allegations appear to be a calculated move to erode public trust in this institution.”
The House also criticised the media platform that published the report, accusing it of failing to conduct due diligence in its investigative process.
Rotimi revealed that the media outlet in question did not seek the House’s response before publishing the story, only reaching out two days after the allegations had already gained traction.
“Unfortunately, this particular platform has become a channel for such sensationalism,” he said.
He challenged anyone with credible evidence of misconduct to present it to the appropriate authorities for proper investigation.
“If anyone has credible evidence of misconduct, they should present it to the appropriate authorities, such as the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges or anti-corruption agencies like the ICPC for proper investigation.”
The House reaffirmed its commitment to its constitutional duties, insisting that such distractions would not deter its focus on good governance and accountability.
Rotimi further urged the media to uphold professionalism and integrity in their reporting, stressing the importance of responsible journalism in strengthening democracy and promoting transparency in governance.
The controversy arises amid heightened scrutiny of budgetary allocations in Nigeria’s public institutions, with concerns over transparency and accountability remaining a pressing issue in the nation’s governance.
