Toyyibat Qasim
Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouq Aliyu, has alleged that he rejected a N250 million financial inducement offered to him to support the controversial bid to amend the Constitution and extend former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure beyond 2007.
Aliyu made the allegation during an appearance on the Naija Unfiltered podcast published on YouTube on Friday.
He also alleged that the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, and Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi, were each offered N400 million to support the proposed constitutional amendment.
According to him, other lawmakers were allegedly offered a minimum of N50 million to back the move.
The former lawmaker’s claims revive one of the most contentious political episodes of the Obasanjo administration, which culminated in the rejection of the proposed constitutional amendments by the National Assembly in May 2006.
The amendments would have altered the constitutional provisions on presidential tenure and potentially enabled Obasanjo, who served as President between 1999 and 2007, to seek a third consecutive term.
Obasanjo, however, has consistently denied pursuing a third term.
In September 2025, the former President again said he never sought such an extension, adding that if he had wanted a third term, he knew how to pursue it.
But speaking on the podcast, Aliyu insisted that the third-term project was real and that attempts were made to secure lawmakers’ support.
He alleged that the then Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, contacted him during the period and asked him to come to Abuja for a meeting with Obasanjo.
Aliyu said he initially declined Ribadu’s request but later agreed to meet the former President.
According to him, he discussed the proposed third-term project with Obasanjo and made it clear that he believed the plan would not succeed.
He subsequently alleged that Ribadu directed him to meet an unnamed individual who offered him N250 million to support the agenda.
“Third term agenda was real. In fact, N250 million was given to me. I did not take it,” he said.
The former lawmaker further claimed that Masari, who was Speaker of the House at the time, was offered N400 million but declined it.
He also alleged that Ningi, then the Majority Leader, was offered the same amount.
“Masari, who was the speaker then, N400 million was offered. He did not take it. Abdul Ningi, the majority leader, N400 million naira was offered to him. He did not take it,” Aliyu said.
He further alleged that lawmakers considered less influential in the process were offered smaller amounts.
“N50 million was dashed to small fries. They paid minimum of N50 million,” he said.
Aliyu did not identify the individual he alleged offered him the N250 million and did not provide documentary evidence of the alleged payment or offer during the interview.
The former Minority Leader also named several prominent politicians whom he said played roles in frustrating the proposed constitutional amendment.
He specifically mentioned former military Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; and then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The National Assembly ultimately rejected the proposed constitutional amendments in 2006, bringing the third-term controversy to an end.
The episode has remained a subject of political debate, particularly over allegations that lawmakers were pressured or financially induced to support the proposed constitutional changes.
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