The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Gusau, Prof. Muazu Abubakar, has denied reports that members of the House of Representatives Committee on University Education demanded a bribe of N480 million to approve the 2025 budgets of federal universities.
In a letter dated January 27, 2025, addressed to the committee’s chairman, Abubakar Fulata, the Vice-Chancellor rejected media claims that vice-chancellors were pressured to pay N8 million each to secure approval for their budgets.
The media report, which specifically mentioned a “stubborn vice-chancellor” believed to be Prof. Abubakar, suggested that he had resisted such demands.
Prof. Abubakar, in his letter, clarified that although he initially intended to stay silent on the issue, he felt compelled to respond to prevent the spread of misleading information.
He emphasized that no member of his university’s team present during the budget defense had been involved in the media reports and urged the committee to disregard the allegations.
He also criticized the report as malicious and misleading, aimed at undermining journalistic integrity.
The Vice-Chancellor praised the committee for its constructive approach, describing the budget defense session as “robust, friendly, and engaging.”
He expressed his gratitude for the committee’s support and cooperation during the budget process.
Following the allegations, Chairman Fulata also dismissed the claims, calling them unfounded and a deliberate attempt to discredit the committee’s efforts.
At a press briefing, Fulata stated, “It is absurd to suggest that lawmakers demanded even a ‘kobo’ in exchange for approving budget proposals,” stressing that the report was designed to mislead the public and tarnish the committee’s reputation.
The House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, also reacted strongly to the accusations.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Rotimi condemned the media report as a deliberate smear campaign against the integrity of lawmakers.
He described the report as lacking credibility and accused the media of fabricating false narratives aimed at evading accountability.
Rotimi reaffirmed the House’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical standards in all legislative processes, emphasizing that such allegations were part of a larger attempt to undermine public trust in the institution.
He called on the public to reject the sensational claims, stating they lacked diligent investigative work.
