Lawmakers at the National Assembly came into a payola windfall overnight as administration officials raced to stave off a humiliating defeat of President Bola Tinubu’s emergency proclamation in Rivers, Peoples Gazette has learnt. 

Eleven lawmakers, comprising seven senators and four representatives, confirmed separately to The Gazette that they were offered up to $25,000 to support Mr Tinubu’s invocation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution to dismantle democratic institutions in Rivers, including firing elected Governor Simi Fubara and all state legislators, and impose government by military ordinance statewide. 

“Members are reluctant to even show up to the parliament,” a lawmaker told The Gazette Thursday morning. “Some of them, especially those from Borno, received messages from their governors that they should not support the emergency rule in Rivers.” 

At an executive session of the House plenary on Thursday morning, only 113 members out of 360 were present, falling short of a simple quorum of 120 members. 

To stem the impending humiliation, cash bribes were immediately discussed by the president’s loyalists, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, sources told The Gazette. 

After interviews with 14 members across both chambers, 11 confirmed receiving offers for bribes. Seven who confirmed receiving offers said they were paid $25,000 between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, while four received $15,000 within the same period. Two lawmakers said they heard about or received offers but rejected them. 

Only Senator Seriake Dickson told The Gazette he received no offers, much less rejected. He is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and a major opponent of the president’s decision. 

The lawmakers said they picked up the offers at different locations across the Nigerian capital, Abuja, but were insured if they came from the same source. 

The lawmakers said they started being approached around 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, as it became increasingly difficult for the president’s aides and legislative allies to whip the needed votes to ratify the emergency rule by Thursday afternoon. 

Mr Tinubu announced the emergency on Tuesday night, citing escalating political tension between Mr Fubara and lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike. The president immediately installed Ibok-Etuk Ekwe Ibas, a retired naval chief, to administer the state for six months. 

The announcement sparked an immediate uproar, with legal scholars and everyday Nigerians condemning it as unconstitutional and potentially harmful to national cohesion. The president has 48 hours to get the backing of the parliament for the proclamation to stand, even though the Constitution was silent as to the president’s ability to sack an elected government of an autonomous state.

Wednesday was the first chance lawmakers had to ratify the order, but both chambers fell short of the needed members. In the House, only 80 lawmakers of 360 showed up, constituting less than the 120 needed to form even a simple quorum.

The Constitution requires two-thirds, or 240 House members and 73 of 109 senators, to ratify the president’s action.