House of Representatives, National Assembly
Office of the House Spokesman
Press Statement
For Immediate Release
BASELESS ALLEGATIONS CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ACCOUNTABILITY: REP. AUYO SHOULD SUBSTANTIATE HIS CLAIMS
Abuja, FCT | Friday, August 15, 2025 – The House of Representatives has taken note of a viral video in which Rep. Ibrahim Usman Auyo, Member representing Hadejia, Auyo, and Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, alleged that Members of the House receive payments to sponsor Motions, Bills, and Petitions.
These allegations are unsubstantiated and, if left unclarified, risk undermining public confidence in the National Assembly. Statements of this nature must be backed by verifiable facts and presented through the appropriate parliamentary channels.
As the 10th Assembly recently crossed its midterm mark, stakeholders nationwide are rightly demanding accountability from their elected representatives, a legitimate and essential expectation in any thriving democracy. The House remains focused on delivering its mandate under the Legislative Agenda (2023–2027), which emphasizes transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the people.
The leadership of the House has consistently encouraged Members to engage with their constituencies during recesses and report on their stewardship. This commitment is reflected in frequent town halls and public hearings, including a series of midterm engagements held in June and July, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON.
In just two years, the People’s House has introduced 2,263 Bills, passed 237, and moved over 1,100 Motions, generating significant interventions across critical sectors such as education, health, infrastructure, security, and economic development. These efforts have triggered substantive executive action and positively impacted the lives of constituents nationwide.
The National Assembly is an institution of records, with well-established and transparent procedures for introducing Bills, Motions, and Petitions, governed by the Constitution, House Standing Orders, and parliamentary ethics. The insinuation that sponsoring a Motion or Bill is a “contract job” involving bribes is inconsistent with these processes and must be clarified.
When the House reconvenes, Rep. Auyo will be invited to substantiate his claims before the House. Should he be unable to provide evidence, the matter will be referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for appropriate consideration, in line with parliamentary procedure.
The House remains committed to fostering mutual respect among Members while upholding the dignity of Parliament. All Honourable Members are encouraged to engage constructively, address concerns through due process, and work together in the collective interest of the Nigerian people.
Signed:
Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr.
Spokesman. House of Representatives.
APC rep: Lawmakers pay about N3m each to present bills, motions at plenary
Ibrahim Auyo, a member of the house of representatives, says lawmakers pay up to N3 million to present bills, motions, and petitions on the chamber floor.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker who represents Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa federal constituency in Jigawa spoke during a meeting with his constituents in the state.
In videos that have since gone viral, the lawmaker told his constituents, who criticised him for infrequently sponsoring bills and motions, that legislators pay between N1 million and N3 million to get their proposals passed.
Auyo spoke in Hausa language in the video.
“Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass, either from Auyo, Hadejia, or Kafin Hausa. They are just pretending,” he said.
“And also, even the bills and petitions are paid for. You have to pay from N3 million, N2 million, or N1 million to present it.
“And after you present the bill, you must follow up by lobbying the whole 360 members of the house to accept the bill.”
The lawmaker also dismissed claims that he has not assisted constituents in securing employment.
“That is not true. Whoever says I didn’t help our youth is lying.Those I helped know themselves, and I can’t satisfy all,” he said.
“Even God that creates us [did not make us equal]. Look at your five fingers; they are not the same, so you can’t satisfy all.
“I do distribute my things [empowerment] myself, and 80 percent out of 100 percent is for youths, I swear to almighty Allah.
“My first motorcycle and car distribution was distributed to the youths. No single elderly person benefited. Just recently, during the governor’s empowerment in Auyo LGA, all the beneficiaries were youths.”
He alleged that some youths sell off the empowerment items they were given.
“You bought [an empowerment item] at N300,000; they sell it for N150,000 immediately after collecting it,” he said.
The lawmaker said he is willing to accept bills from constituents committed to the process.
“For the bills, I give each community the chance to present theirs. They should sit with their community leaders, write down their needs, and bring them to me in Auyo,” he said.
“Even if I am not in Auyo and I am in Abuja, they should delegate two or three people from the LGA to meet my team so we can confirm it is from the constituency and see if I can address it or not.
“We have done this before they started giving us such requests, so why can’t we do it now when they actually give them to us?
“I have my representatives—they should go through them. If they do so, I can first review it; if I can do it myself, I will. If it is a bill, I can also present it.
“I urge people to work collectively as a team, to submit their requests to me or even through others. In fact, it is me now, and by God’s grace, until 2027, it will still be me.
“Insulting leaders for personal reasons is wrong. Some people, if not for politics, are too small to insult you.
“My advice to the youth is this: when you insult someone’s father today, tomorrow someone will insult your own father. When you insult someone, you are insulting your own father—even if he is in his grave.”
When the TheCable reached out to the lawmaker, his mobile phone was unreachable, and text messages received no response.
Over the years, the national assembly has been embroiled in controversies — from the secrecy surrounding lawmakers’ salaries and allowances to allegations of bribery.
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