The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified that the $5,000 he distributed to members of his committee was a Sallah gift and not a bribe to support the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Betara made this clarification in a post shared by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafa on his X handle.

According to the journalist, Betara personally reached out to explain the reason behind the cash distribution, insisting that the gesture was part of a long-standing tradition and had nothing to do with the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.

“The Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.

READ ALSO:

As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg,”* Jaafar wrote.

This clarification comes amid allegations that some lawmakers were bribed to support President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Reports suggested that senators received $15,000 to endorse the move, with $5,000 allegedly paid on Tuesday and another $10,000 on Wednesday, the day before the vote.

President Tinubu had declared the emergency, citing political instability and security threats, including recent cases of oil pipeline vandalism.

However, the decision has sparked controversy, with opposition voices questioning the motive behind the move.

While Betara has distanced himself from the bribery allegations, the reports continue to generate reactions across political circles.