FORMER Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouq Aliyu, has claimed that he rejected N250 million allegedly offered to him to support the third-term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
News Point Nigeria reports that Aliyu also said the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time, Aminu Masari, rejected N400 million allegedly offered to him to support the bid.
The third-term agenda was one of the most controversial issues that characterised the administration of Obasanjo, who was President between 1999 and 2007.
In May 2006, the National Assembly rejected a bill seeking to amend Nigeria’s Constitution in a manner that would have allowed Obasanjo to run for a third successive term in office.
The former President has repeatedly denied that he sought a third term in office.
Speaking during the Naija Unfiltered podcast, published on YouTube on Friday, Aliyu insisted that Obasanjo’s third-term agenda was real.
According to him, during discussions about the third-term agenda, Nuhu Ribadu, who was then Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, asked him to come to Abuja for a meeting with Obasanjo.
Aliyu said he initially rejected Ribadu’s request but later agreed to meet with Obasanjo.
The former lawmaker said that when he went to Abuja, he discussed the third-term agenda and insisted that the move would not be successful.
He added that he was offered N250 million by someone Ribadu had asked him to meet with.
Aliyu, however, did not mention the name of the person during the interview.
He added that Masari rejected the sum of N400 million to support the third-term bid, while lawmakers were offered a minimum of N50 million to support the agenda.
“Third term agenda was real. In fact, 250 million was given to me. I did not take it,” he said.
“Masari, who was the speaker then, 400 million was offered. He did not take it. Abdul Ningi, the majority leader, 400 million naira was offered to him. He did not take it.
“N50 million was dashed to small fries. They paid minimum of N50 million.”
The former Minority Leader said late Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, played prominent roles in thwarting the bid for a third term.