TheCable

Bala Na’Allah, deputy leader of the senate, has alleged that he rejected a N50m bribe from Olusegun Obasanjo for the extension of his tenure when he was president.

Na’Allah was reacting to Obasanjo’s statement that Nigeria’s legislators are corrupt.

On Monday, Obasanjo had said that the budget-padding scandal in the house of representatives was a confirmation of his position that the nation’s lawmakers are corrupt.

But in a statement on Tuesday, the lawmaker from Kebbi south dismissed the former president’s blanket accusation of lawmakers as corrupt.

“I am respectfully taking exception to the statement, which I express the hope is not true,” Na’Allah said.

“To start with, it is not in my character to join issues with an elder statesmen who has had the privilege of superintending over the affairs of our great country Nigeria.

“This exception has become necessary in view of the enormity of the alleged statement to my person and integrity.

“If former President Obasanjo can come out with one proven record of corruption against me as a person, I promise to vacate my seat as a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria.

“For the records, I was the only member from Kebbi state who did not find it worthy at that time of collecting the sum of N50 million as an inducement to subvert the constitution and provide a constitutional framework for the third term ambition of President Obasanjo.

“I find this statement, if it is true, to be reckless and terrifying.

“The implications of the statement is to say that the entire over 170 million Nigerians have not elected a single person with integrity among the 469 members of the national assembly.

“This is definitely rhapsodic and does not conform to common sense and reason‎.”