By Mercy Aikoye
Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, has denied allegations that he bribed the House leadership with $1.7 million to secure the chairmanship position of the committee on Petroleum Downstream.
Ugochinyere described the allegations as “childish” and “unprofessional fiction” aimed at diverting attention from corruption in the oil and gas industry.
He expressed support for the House leadership’s decision to dissolve the joint committee investigating challenges in the oil sector, stating that it was a necessary step to ensure the efficacy and independence of the investigation.
Ugochinyere also commended the Speaker and Deputy Speaker for their inclusive and collaborative approach to governance, which has fostered a sense of unity and stability in the House.
The House of Representatives had earlier clarified that the dissolution of the Ad Hoc Committee on Oil and Gas was done to ensure the effectiveness of the investigation and not due to any inducement or rift between the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The House Spokesman, Akin Rotimi, Jr., urged the public to disregard the speculations making the rounds in some sections of the media, emphasizing that the House operates an open-door policy and remains open to the Nigerian public and the media regarding its activities.
