Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouq Aliyu, has claimed that he rejected the N250 million offered to him to support the third term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo
He said the speaker of the House of Representatives at the time, Aminu Masari, also rejected the sum of N400 million 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 that sought to amend Nigeria’s constitution, which would have allowed Obasanjo run for a third successive term in office
The former president has repeatedly denied that he sought a third term in office
Speaking during during the ‘Naija Unfiltered’ podcast, published via 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 the 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 accepted to meet with Obasanjo
The former lawmaker said 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 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