Representatives dodge N400m corruption charges, blame university bosses.
The House of Representatives has approved a N24 billion refund to Kebbi and Nasarawa states for the federal takeover of two of their airports.
House of Representatives
The House of Representatives has rejected allegations that lawmakers solicited bribes from vice-chancellors of federal universities to approve their budget allocations for 2025.
Instead, the lawmakers turned their attention to university administrators for misconduct and financial mismanagement.
A report had been circulating in several media outlets claiming that lawmakers in the National Assembly demanded bribes from heads of higher education institutions to approve their budget allocations for 2025.
The report stated that the lawmakers, including senators and members of the House of Representatives, used intimidation and threats to force university heads to pay N8 million each to approve their allocations in the 2025 budgets.
However, instead of directly addressing the corruption allegations, the lower house, in a statement by its spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, on Wednesday, alleged the failure of some vice-chancellors, including their absence from budget defense sessions, unresolved audit issues and governance failures. Calling on anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to report it to anti-corruption agencies or the House Ethics Committee, Rotimi said the allegations appeared to be part of a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of the House and erode public confidence in this sacred institution.
He noted that the 10th House of Representatives is firmly committed to transparency, accountability and the highest ethical standards in all its legislative activities.
Rotimi insisted that the House will not be distracted by baseless allegations.
The statement read: "The budget process is a constitutionally guided and transparent exercise. The 2025 Appropriations Bill was introduced by His Excellency, Speaker Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at a joint sitting of the National Assembly attended by key members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the public. "Following the presentation, several Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) participated in public hearings to defend their budget proposals before the relevant committees. These sessions ensure rigorous scrutiny and accountability in the management of public finances.
"However, it is worrying that some heads of federal higher education institutions did not appear at these budget defense hearings, despite their constitutional obligation to do so. This disregard for the legislative process not only impedes legislative oversight and undermines the principles of accountability, but also shows contempt for parliament and the Nigerian people.
"Furthermore, it is known that some of these higher education institutions have pending audit requests from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and have consistently failed to appear before the House Committee on Public Accounts to clarify these matters. This leak raises questions about their governance and financial management practices.
"This is in addition to the troubling allegations of sexual harassment, abuse of power, and authoritarianism in their dealings with staff and students, which legislative oversight provides a crucial platform to address in a spirit of transparency.
"It should also be noted that recent oversight visits by the House Committee on Higher Education have revealed troubling governance practices at some institutions. While the final report has been drafted, preliminary findings at several institutions suggest a pattern of serious misconduct that warrants further investigation.
"These engagements provide an opportunity for institutions to demonstrate accountability, but some individuals have chosen to avoid their responsibilities through baseless accusations and blackmail. "To be clear, the House acknowledges the commitment of the majority of university administrators, who are hardworking and patriotic Nigerians working towards the advancement of education and national development. However, the actions of some actors who seek to escape scrutiny cannot be ignored. The House of Representatives remains committed to holding public institutions accountable in accordance with due process.
"The House encourages anyone with credible evidence of misconduct to submit it to the relevant authorities, including the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges or anti-corruption agencies such as the Independent Commission on Corrupt Practices and Related Offences (ICPC) for independent investigation of any allegations of irregularities.
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