The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to ?urgently refer the allegations made by a House of Reps member, Ibrahim Auyo, to anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.?

Jigawa lawmaker, Auyo, last week, alleged that House members paid between N1m and N3m to have their bills presented at the Green Chamber.

However, some of his colleagues in the House dismissed the allegations, insisting Auyo must substantiate his claims when the House resumes plenary.

Speaking in Hausa, Auyo was reported to have said, ?Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass. And also, even the bills and petitions are paid for.

?You have to pay from N3m, N2m, or N1m to present it. And after you present the bill, you must follow up by lobbying the whole 360 members of the House to accept the bill.?

The leadership of the House had swiftly challenged the lawmaker to provide evidence of his claim or face the prospect of a referral to the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the Tajudeen Abbas-led House said, ?The House of Representatives has taken note of a viral video in which Ibrahim Usman Auyo, member representing Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, alleged that members of the House receive payments to sponsor motions, bills, and petitions.

?These allegations are unsubstantiated and, if left unclarified, risk undermining public confidence in the National Assembly. Statements of this nature must be backed by verifiable facts and presented through the appropriate parliamentary channels.

?As the 10th Assembly recently crossed its midterm mark, stakeholders nationwide are rightly demanding accountability from their elected representatives, a legitimate and essential expectation in any thriving democracy. The House remains focused on delivering its mandate under the Legislative Agenda (2023?2027), which emphasises transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the people.

?The leadership of the House has consistently encouraged members to engage with their constituencies during recesses and report on their stewardship. This commitment is reflected in frequent town halls and public hearings, including a series of midterm engagements held in June and July, presided over by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.

?The National Assembly is an institution of records, with well-established and transparent procedures for introducing bills, motions, and petitions, governed by the Constitution, House Standing Orders, and parliamentary ethics.

?The insinuation that sponsoring a motion or bill is a ?contract job? involving bribes is inconsistent with these processes and must be clarified.

?When the House reconvenes, Auyo will be invited to substantiate his claims before the House. Should he be unable to provide evidence, the matter will be referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for appropriate consideration, in line with parliamentary procedure,? the statement read in part.

Speaking with The PUNCH in Abuja on Sunday, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, dismissed the allegations by Auyo, saying the House was looking forward to hearing from Auyo.

He said, ?I have been in the House for 14 years, and I have never paid money for my bills and motions to be taken. I am taken aback by the claim by the honourable member. Perhaps, he will share his experience with the House.

?I wonder why a member will pay money for his bills or motion to be heard. Who was the money paid to??

In the same vein, Leader of the North West Caucus in the House and member representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency, Katsina State, Sada Soli, said the Green Chamber has the capacity to handle the issue.

He said, ?I don?t think I should join in this discussion. The House is dealing with the matter appropriately.?

His counterpart from Niger State, Joshua Gana, dismissed the allegation outright.

When asked if he was aware of the cash for bills deals in the parliament, he replied, ?Never. Moving motions and sponsoring bills are the primary reasons for being a legislator, and I have never heard or seen anything like that in my life. We talk to our constituents daily, and when what needs to be heard nationally, we take it up immediately. ?

SERAP wants probe

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to ?urgently refer the allegations to anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.?

SERAP urged Akpabio and Abbas, ?to name anyone that may be involved in the alleged bribery and to ensure the recovery of any proceeds of bribery.?

The group also urged the leadership of the National Assembly ?To ensure the protection of whistleblower Ibrahim Auyo, a member of the House of Representatives (APC, Jigawa), who made the allegations of ?bribes for bills, motions and petitions?.?

In the open letter dated Augus16, 2025, and signed by SERAP?s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, ?The allegations that lawmakers pay bribes to present motions, bills, and proposals at the National Assembly are a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office by lawmakers.

?Lawmakers should not have to pay bribes to present motions and bills at the National Assembly. Bribery should never have any influence on the exercise of legislative duties or the running of the National Assembly. These allegations of quid pro quo for lawmaking have seriously undermined Nigerians? democratic rights.?

SERAP added, ?The allegations that lawmakers are paying up to N3m as bribes in exchange for presenting motions and bills make a mockery of lawmaking and legislative powers under section 4 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) .

?These allegations have exposed how lawmakers are abusing their entrusted positions to deny Nigerians their democratic rights.?

It further directed the leadership of the National Assembly to refer to Auyo?s claims to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for investigation and prosecution.

The group added that doing so will ?improve public trust in the ability of the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure accountability in the exercise of lawmakers? constitutional and legislative functions.?

?By exercising strong and effective leadership in this matter, the National Assembly leadership can show Nigerians that the legislative body is a proper and accountable watchdog that represents and protects the public interest, and is able to hold itself to account in cases of corruption, including bribery.

?The allegations also amount to fundamental breaches of the Nigerian Constitution and the country?s anticorruption legislation and international obligations, including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.

?Ibrahim Auyo is a whistleblower who is protected under Article 33 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Ibrahim Auyo is a whistleblower because of his public interest disclosures on alleged bribery to present motions and bills at the National Assembly.

?SERAP is concerned about the persistent allegations of corruption in the National Assembly and the prevailing culture of impunity of perpetrators.

?SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions, including the National Assembly, to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

?Nigeria has also made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against corruption to prevent and combat corruption, including bribery. These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.?

SERAP also expressed concerns that there may be similar unreported allegations of ?bribes for bills? in the Senate.

Lawyers, CSO react

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the issue, though an allegation until proven, was criminal and should not be taken lightly.

While admitting that the law never envisaged demands for money in exchange for the presentation of a bill on the floor of the House, Osigwe stated that the allegation must be investigated and ensure the prosecution of the offenders.

?While I do not lend credence to the allegation, I must say that such an allegation if proven to be true, is criminal, it should not be taken lightly, and that the leadership of the House should investigate this matter, and if it is indeed true, hand over those who collect money before legislations are listed for hearing or even passed.

?Any legislature that does that will be a cash-and-carry legislature, will be a pay-to-play legislature, and that offends the spirit of our Constitution.

?And so it is an allegation that should be thoroughly investigated. And if found to be true, the Federal Republic of Nigeria must, through its own prosecutorial agencies, show that it is an action that is frowned upon, that will never be tolerated,? he said.

Another lawyer, Adedeji Harwood, said no law required a lawmaker to pay any sum of money to have a petition or bill read on the floor of the green chambers, adding that the House had ordered an investigation into the issue.

He, however, noted that the EFCC and ICPC Acts prescribed penalties for bribery or any inducements of government officials.

?I can easily conclude that any money spent on sponsoring a bill that is not supported by law, which is not an official payment, can easily be said as a bribe or an inducement, and there are several provisions for inducements under the EFCC and ICPC Acts, and there are several penalties attached to that

?It is common knowledge in Nigeria that if you bribe any official of government to favour you in any way, there is a punishment attached to that,? he said.

In separate interviews with our correspondent, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, said the allegation, if true, meant the country had suffered a ?serious reputational crisis.?

?In my opinion, if this is true, then governance in Nigeria has suffered a serious reputational crisis. That is why good governance cannot really happen in Nigeria. That is why transparency and accountability will be resisted by those beneficiaries of this kind of thing.

?I will urge the National Assembly to be very cautious about some of these issues. Any member who is involved in this extortion should not be tolerated by the National Assembly because it will destroy the entire reputation of the National Assembly and its members. (The PUNCH)

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