The Home of Representatives has vehemently denied allegations that its members obtained a $5,000 inducement to ratify President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request for a State of Emergency declaration in Rivers State.
Deputy spokesman of the Home, Hon. Philip Agbese (Benue, APC), in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, described the allegation as false, malicious and emanating from “the pit of hell.”
Hon. Agbese stated Thursday’s decision of the Home on the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers was carried out out of patriotism and within the curiosity of restoring lasting peace to River State.
“At no level did members of the Home interact in any {financial} inducement in regards to the state of emergency declaration. The choice was taken after in depth deliberations on the safety and political scenario in Rivers State, according to our constitutional duties to safeguard nationwide stability,” he stated.
“Any suggestion that lawmakers had been bribed is pure fiction, designed to serve the pursuits of those that search to distort details and create pointless rigidity within the nation. The Home of Representatives stays an unbiased establishment guided by democratic rules, the rule of regulation, and the collective will of the Nigerian individuals.
“Our obligation is to make choices that align with the nationwide curiosity, to not succumb to baseless distractions aimed toward eroding public belief. The allegations of bribery are a determined try to discredit the Home and have to be dismissed because the political comedy that it’s”.
Agbese drew parallels with King Solomon’s knowledge, citing the biblical story of the 2 ladies disputing a baby’s parentage (1 Kings 3:16-28).
“What the President did was like what King Solomon did when the 2 ladies who had been combating over the propriety of a kid got here to him. These individuals in Rivers are all within the progress and improvement of Rivers State,” he added.
“They love the state, and they’re working arduous for it. However somehow, disagreement arose between the events which escalated, and Mr. President, in his knowledge, determined to impose a state of emergency, for a while to permit the 2 events to return collectively, to additional deepen our democracy.”
He stated as members of Parliament within the peace and well-being of the individuals of Rivers State, they authorized the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers out of patriotism and never for any pecuniary consideration as being alleged.
Agbese famous that the Parliament in its knowledge made some key changes to Mr President’s emergency proclamation earlier than ratifying it.
“One is that the Parliament stays the law-making physique so far as the nation is anxious. We resolved that the Nationwide Meeting would take over the legislative duties of the Rivers Meeting throughout the interval that the state of emergency is enforced,” he acknowledged.
“Secondly, we resolved as a Parliament that it should not essentially be for six months for the events to return collectively and resolve. Even whether it is inside two weeks, that these events can resolve their variations and present that they’re on the identical web page, Mr. President, in his knowledge, must also cut back 180 days.”
Hon. Agbese stated he believes that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a real democrat, is not going to work in opposition to democratic establishments within the nation.
“We all know Mr. President very properly. He’s a Democrat. He has fought for the establishment of our democracy so far as Nigeria is anxious. And he’s one man who would at all times need to defend this democracy.
“We’ve been relating with him because the President of the nation for the previous virtually two years now. We’ve been relating with him as our President. We’ve seen his considerations.
“The tenth Home of Representatives has seen the real considerations and we imagine and belief that if these points are resolved in lower than six months, Mr. President goes to place an finish to the state of emergency in that state.”
Hon. Agbese stated the Home in its knowledge, equally resolved {that a} tri-partite committee of comprising eminent Nigerians, members of the Parliament and members of the Govt Council on the different finish be constituted to make sure that the warring {groups} in Rivers State are delivered to a roundtable and an amicable decision is reached.
Agbese, whereas disabusing the minds of Nigerians over the allegations of inducements of members, blamed “fifth columnists” and oppositions, whom he stated, are out to tarnish the picture of the parliament.
