The Northern Stakeholders Consultative Forum (NSCF), along with 72 allied organizations, has called for an immediate investigation into allegations of corrupt practices involving Ugochinyere Ikenga, a member of the House of Representatives.
The lawmaker, who represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has been accused of seeking financial bribes and allegedly boasting about paying $1.7 million to secure his position as the Chairman of the House Committee on Downstream Petroleum.
At a press conference in Kaduna, leaders of the NSCF, including Spokesman Ali Mohammed Sani, Convener Alhaji Yerima Shettima, and Secretary General Danjuma Paul, urged the House of Representatives to launch an investigation. They warned that failing to do so could threaten Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
“The recent misconduct alleged against Hon. Ikenga threatens to undermine the trust of the Nigerian populace in its elected officials and the legislative framework that governs our national affairs,” stated the NSCF.
“Accountability and transparency are not merely legal requirements; they are moral imperatives essential to the functioning of democracy.”
The coalition emphasized the need for a transparent, accountable, and ethical legislative process, calling on the House leadership to procure and review CCTV footage from the House complex to verify the claims.
“We are confident that these recordings will validate the claims, revealing various meetings held between Hon. Ikenga and private investigators within his office premises,” added the NSCF.
In response to the allegations, Hon. Ikenga dismissed them as “a low-quality unbelievable Hollywood movie crafted in a panicking room of scared oil thieves and their paid agents to smear his image.”
He categorically denied giving $1.7 million to House Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass or the House leadership to secure his committee chairmanship.
The NSCF, however, argued that the allegations against Hon. Ikenga represents a troubling narrative of exploitation and corruption that could erode public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“The broader implications of such behavior, if left unchecked, pose a significant risk to our democratic foundations and must be addressed with utmost severity,” the group stated.
The coalition’s leaders reiterated their commitment to advocating for accountability and ethical governance in Nigeria.
“We stand united to advocate for a transparent, accountable, and ethical legislative process, one that genuinely serves the Nigerian populace and reinstates faith in our democracy.”
As the controversy unfolds, all eyes will be on the House of Representatives to see if they will heed the call for an investigation, a move that could have significant implications for the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process and democracy at large.