Politics
Aspirants for Senate President, Speaker offer $1million per vote- APC Govs
Two candidates who seek to hold the third and fourth-highest offices in Nigeria are rumoured to be planning to bribe their fellow lawmakers with as much as $1 million each to get elected, officials have said.
Governors elected on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this ‘rumour’ in a memo to the country’s newly elected president, Bola Tinubu.
The governors under the aegis of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) said they were aware of ‘rumours’ that two lawmakers, one aspiring for Senate President and another for Speaker of the House of Representatives, have expressed willingness to offer between $500,000 and $1 million per lawmaker in exchange for votes.
Although they did not name the two candidates allegedly involved in the bribery scheme, they suggested the two candidates are members of the APC.
“Indeed, it is being rumoured that one aspirant for the Senate Presidency and another for Speakership are willing to offer as much as $500,000 to $1 million per vote. Opposition party members of the National Assembly are being courted with the likelihood of the 2015 situation presenting itself if care is not taken.
According to Premium Times, PGF had in a memo called for the intervention of Mr Tinubu on the zoning of the principal offices of the federal parliament. The governors recommended a zoning formula for the offices.
According to the memo which is the outcome of a meeting held on 8 April, the governors warned Mr Tinubu that the “over-investment” by the aspirants may make zoning impossible if action is not taken quickly.
The governors noted that aspirants are offering newly elected lawmakers thousands of dollars for support, and some are willing to take the offer to a million dollars per vote.
“It is imperative that the President-Elect and the Party wade into this situation and announce an acceptable zoning formula as soon as possible. This is necessary to prevent over-investment by candidates, which leads to acrimony and bitterness. New Senators-elect and members-elect are being offered thousands of dollars.
“Indeed, it is being rumoured that one aspirant for the Senate Presidency and another for Speakership are willing to offer as much as $500,000 to $1 million per vote. Opposition party members of the National Assembly are being courted with the likelihood of the 2015 situation presenting itself if care is not taken,” the memo reads in part.
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