The Nigerian Senate says it is unaware of any allegation regarding a reported ₦68 million transaction allegedly involving the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe.
The clarification came after businessman, Nonso Okafor, alleged he was coaxed into paying the lawmaker $100,000 in October 2024 through a senior legislative aide, Osereme Christen Omofoma.
He told me the money would be either returned or balanced out with federal government contracts.
Okafor through his lawyer, Elochukwu Obi, later petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the issue.
The senator at the heart of the allegation had previously dismissed the claims, labelling them as false and an attempt to tarnish her image. But the businessman has continued to stand by his claims, insisting his account was accurate.
On the issue, Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, in an interview with Guardian, said the Senate has no record of such a case.
“The legislature does not interfere in the personal business of the legislators outside their official duties,” he said.
The Senate, he said, is focused on its core functions of lawmaking, oversight and representation, and considers only issues formally presented to it.
Adaramodu declared that the allegation of abuse of office is still an allegation, adding that the Senate can only act on issues officially presented to it.
He said: “We have no such case before us. We don’t know that.” We don’t go into the personal involvement of senators outside the chambers and the National Assembly.
“That’s an allegation. We have no such case at hand. We can only speak of what is in front of us. “We care about anything that has to do with law-making, oversight and representation.
