Former House of Representatives minority leader Farouq Aliyu says he was offered N250 million to support former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s controversial “third term” agenda in 2006, but he rejected the money. Aliyu makes the allegation in an interview on the “Naija Unfiltered” podcast, describing how the agenda was discussed inside the National Assembly while Obasanjo faced efforts to change the constitution.
He says the “third term agenda” was real despite Obasanjo’s repeated denials. According to Aliyu, an early approach involved Nuhu Ribadu, then chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who asked him to meet Obasanjo in Abuja. Aliyu recounts arguing that the move would not succeed. He also says lawmakers were offered various sums, including Aminu Masari reportedly rejecting N400 million, and that lower-level lawmakers were offered at least N50 million.
The outlets also note the National Assembly rejected a bill in May 2006 that would have allowed Obasanjo to run for a third successive term. Separate reporting includes that Obasanjo later denied pursuing such an ambition.
