The House of Representatives has dismissed allegations that some federal lawmakers demanded bribes from Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities in exchange for approving their 2025 budget allocations, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, House spokesman Akin Rotimi said the report was a deliberate attempt to damage the reputation of the legislature.
“The 10th House of Representatives is firmly committed to transparency, accountability, and the highest ethical standards in all its legislative activities. These values form the bedrock of our operations. It is, therefore, imperative to address the baseless and sensational allegations in the report, which appear to be part of a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of the House and erode public trust in this institution,” the statement read in part.
Rotimi explained that the budget process follows a constitutionally guided and transparent procedure, emphasising that the 2025 Appropriation Bill was presented by President Bola Tinubu before a Joint Session of the National Assembly in the presence of key government officials and the public.
He further noted that some Vice-Chancellors had failed to appear for their budget defence sessions, despite being required to do so.
“This disregard for the legislative process not only impedes oversight and accountability but also demonstrates a lack of respect for the parliament and the Nigerian people.
“Furthermore, it is a matter of public record that some of these institutions have pending audit queries 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 issues. This evasion raises concerns about their governance practices and financial stewardship,” he added.
Rotimi also accused some university administrators of making baseless allegations to evade scrutiny.
He noted that recent oversight visits by the House Committee on University Education had uncovered troubling governance practices in certain institutions, adding that preliminary findings pointed to serious malfeasance requiring further investigation.
While commending university administrators who have complied with due process, the House said the actions of a few attempting to avoid accountability would not go unnoticed.
The statement also criticised the news platform that published the bribery allegations, accusing it of failing to uphold journalistic ethics.
“The report in question lacks any diligent investigative effort and instead amplifies fabricated narratives by individuals seeking to evade accountability. Unfortunately, the medium, which has become the preferred outlet for such baseless sensationalism, did not seek a reaction from the House Spokesman before publishing the story, undermining its credibility and professionalism. A reaction was only requested on Monday, two days after the story had already gone public,” the statement read.
The House urged anyone with credible evidence of misconduct to present it to the appropriate authorities, including the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges or anti-corruption agencies like the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Reiterating its commitment to transparency and good governance, the House said it would not be distracted by baseless allegations.
“We call on all stakeholders, particularly the media, to approach their responsibilities with integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to nation-building. Together, we can strengthen our democracy and promote a more accountable and transparent governance system,” it added.
