Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that members of the National Assembly were bribed to approve the state of emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu. In a viral video obtained by Daily Sun, Obasanjo was seen in a conversation with House of Representatives member, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who denied claims that lawmakers were paid $200,000 each to endorse the emergency rule. Ugochinyere firmly stated, “Nobody gave anyone $200,000. That is just what I want to correct.”
However, Obasanjo maintained his stance, insisting that he had direct information from lawmakers who allegedly received the payments. “You can say anything. I heard it from the horse’s mouth. You can deny it, that is alright, but I heard it from those who got it and told me that they got it,” the former president asserted. He further noted that while Ugochinyere might not have received such funds, others in the National Assembly had confessed to him about collecting the money.
The allegations have sparked widespread debate, with critics questioning the transparency of the National Assembly’s decision-making process. The federal government and key lawmakers are yet to officially respond to Obasanjo’s claims. Meanwhile, political analysts believe this controversy could further deepen the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, where tensions have been high following Tinubu’s emergency declaration.
