The House of Representatives has denied allegations that each member was paid $5,000 to ratify President Bola Tinubu's request for the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers State.
Hon. Philip Agbese (Benue, APC), Deputy Spokesman of the House, responded to the allegation in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, calling it false, malicious, and coming from "the pit of hell."
According to Agbese, the House's resolution on the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers was passed out of patriotism and a desire to restore long-term peace in the state.
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.
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“All insinuations that any individual was given money to give to members are 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 made after extensive deliberations on the security and political situation in Rivers State, which is 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. Our duty is to make decisions that align with the national interest, not to 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 so as to allow the two parties to come together, in order to further deepen our democracy.”
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He said that as members of Parliament interested in the peace and well-being of the people of Rivers State, they approved the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers out of patriotism and not for any pecuniary consideration, as alleged.
“We have seen some of the developments in River State. The government is not doing badly. But what we are saying is that we don’t want the breakdown of institutions as far as River State is concerned,” said Agbese.
“We deployed our wisdom as a Parliament, not to pander to sentiments or views expressed by groups outside. Yes, we are a people’s Parliament. We listen to the voices of Nigerians. Of course, there are people who say the state of emergency declared by the President is wrong. There are those who also believe that it was done in the right manner to ensure that there is peace in that state.
“As a Parliament, our interest is to form a bridge, to ensure that our democracy continues to work. As a Parliament, our interest is to protect our democracy and democratic institutions. We resolved as a Parliament to make certain amendments to the proclamations made by Mr. President.
He said the Parliament, in its wisdom, made some key adjustments to Mr President’s emergency proclamation before ratifying it.
“One is that the Parliament remains the law-making body as far as the country is concerned. We resolved that the National Assembly would take over the legislative duties of the Rivers Assembly within the period of time that the state of emergency is enforced.
“Secondly, we resolved as a Parliament that it must not necessarily be for six months for the parties to come together and resolve. Even if it is within two weeks, that these parties are able to resolve their differences and show that they are on the same page, Mr. President, in his wisdom, should also reduce the period from 180 days.”
Agbese said he believes that Tinubu, as a true democrat, will not work against democratic institutions in the country.
“We know Mr. President very well. He is a democrat. He has fought for the institutions of our democracy as far as Nigeria is concerned. And he is one man who would always want to protect this democracy. He is a President that we know as a Parliament,” he said.
“We have been relating with him as the President of the country for the past almost two years now. We have been relating with him as our President. We have seen his concerns.
"The 10th House of Representatives has seen the genuine concerns and we believe and trust that if these issues are resolved in less than six months, Mr. President is going to put an end to the state of emergency in that state.”
Agbese said the House, in its wisdom, equally resolved that a tripartite committee comprising eminent Nigerians, members of the Parliament, and members of the Executive Council be constituted to ensure that the warring groups in Rivers State are brought to a round table and an amicable resolution is reached.
Agbese, while disabusing the minds of Nigerians over the allegations of inducements of members, blamed “fifth columnists” and oppositions, who, he said, are out to tarnish the image of the parliament.
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The Benue lawmaker urged Nigerians to continue to extend the kind of support they have always extended to them, assuring that they will always work in the people’s interest as the ‘Peoples’ House’.
He expressed optimism that, at the end of the State of Emergency, both the Rivers State Government and the Rivers Assembly will bounce back stronger for the state's overall good and progress.
On the controversy over quorum, Agbese said the House satisfied the requirement of quorum with 243 members in attendance during the exercise.