Allegations that Godswill Akpabio bribed senators with $15,000 to obtain their support for the creation of a state of emergency in Rivers State have been forcefully denied by the Nigerian Senate President. It was alleged that senators were given financial incentives on multiple occasions to change their stance; the claims have only now gone viral on social media.
These allegations, however, have been rejected by Akpabio’s camp as mere attempts to discredit his leadership. The accusations, according to a Vanguard report, were directed toward two distinct distributions of monies; senators allegedly received $5,000 one day and $10,000 the next. The public was outraged by these accusations because, according to its detractors, the legitimacy of the legislative process would be jeopardized if these financial incentives were real.
Meanwhile, Eseme Eyiboh, who was working as a media aide for Senate President Akpabio, denounced the claims and claimed they were part of a plot to tarnish the senator’s reputation. His side claims that Akpabio’s recent meetings with senators were completely above board and in keeping with long-standing norms. During the fasting season, he allegedly sponsored events where people broke their fast, which was something that many political leaders did.
The necessity of bribing fellow senators was raised by his advisers, who argued that important legislative choices are best made through proper procedure and discussion. The announcement of a state of emergency in Rivers State has already encountered considerable resistance, and now this debate has added fuel to the fire. The action is seen by many Nigerians as an abuse of executive power, which they believe endangers democratic rule in the area.
These worries have grown in the wake of the bribery accusations, which have prompted some detractors to demand an exhaustive probe. The proclamation of a state of emergency was approved by both houses of the National Assembly despite growing criticism. The legislation was overwhelmingly supported by the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives, indicating that they were in agreement with the federal government’s position regarding the situation in Rivers State.
