Mukhtar Betara, Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, defends $5,000 distributed to lawmakers as a “Sallah gesture,” not a bribe for supporting emergency rule in Rivers State. Betara clarified the funds were part of a longstanding tradition, amid rumors of political bribery linked to the state of emergency.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has responded to claims that he distributed $5,000 to lawmakers as an inducement to support the emergency rule in Rivers State. In a clarification to Nigerian journalist Jaafar Jaafar, Betara explained that the money was part of a longstanding tradition, given as a “Sallah gesture” during the Eid al-Fitr holiday and not connected to any political decisions or actions related to the state of emergency declaration.
Betara compared the gesture to the seasonal tradition of Santa Claus, stressing that it had nothing to do with the current political crisis in Rivers State, which led to the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
The clarification comes after rumors spread claiming that senators received substantial bribes, including $15,000 in total, to back the emergency rule. Despite these rumors, Betara maintains that the tradition of gifting committee members during the Sallah holiday was purely ceremonial, dismissing the allegations of bribery.
Meanwhile, the public remains divided, with some expressing doubts about the ethics of such financial gestures amid political instability, while others support Betara's explanation as part of an established custom. The ongoing controversy highlights the fragile trust between Nigeria’s citizens and their elected officials, especially regarding the use of funds in a politically sensitive context.
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