N200m bribe scandal hits Kogi Assembly

Barely two months after emerging as Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Kolawole Matthew, has been embroiled in a N200 million scandal.


The N200 million scandal alarm was raised by a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Youth Leader, Austin Okai, last week in a publication on his social media accounts, which is still trending in the state.

Accused

According to Austin’s publication, the Assembly, in August, approved a loan of N1.9 billion for the government to spend on some projects in the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB.
It alleged that a few days after, the Speaker, through the back door, unilaterally approved N10 billion memo for the executive without passing the request through the normal House debates.
The publication said the members, on getting news of the matter, threatened to relieve the Speaker of his position, a development that made him rush to the governor, who provided N200 million to pacify the legislators.

However, rather than use the money as planned, the publication alleged that the Speaker only distributed N80 million to the members, adjourned sitting and left the country.

Fallout

Vanguard gathered that some of the members, who later got wind of the actual amount, have started gathering signatures for his removal.

The concerned lawmakers have asked the member from Lokoja 11 constituency, Ndakwo Idris, to defect to All Progressives Congress, APC, and secure their favour for the Speaker’s position.
The said lawmaker, yesterday, announced his defection from PDP to APC on the floor of the House, a development that gave credence to developments.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the House summoned the PDP Youth Leader, Okai, to substantiate his claims.
The member representing Idah State Constituency, Haruna Idoko, who raised the motion at plenary, said there was need for Okai to back up his claims.

Musa Omiata of Yagba East State Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said there was no time a request to grant approval of N10 billion was made by the Speaker, adding that there was need to get to the root of the allegation.

Speaker reacts

The Speaker, in his defence, described the allegation as an affront, stressing that he only went to US with the Deputy Speaker to attend the UN General Assembly.

He ask the Assembly to petition the Police and Department of State Services, DSS, to invite Okai to back his claims and proceed to the court.

The House welcomed the defector, Ndakwo Idris, and adjourned till today for plenary.