Daud Olatunji
Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara has disclosed that he rejected a bribe of N250 million meant to secure his support for the controversial third-term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
This revelation was made during an interview on the YouTube series “Untold Stories with Adesuwa,” which was released on Monday.
When questioned about the accuracy of the claims, Wabara confirmed, “That’s very correct.”
The third-term agenda, a contentious proposal during Nigeria’s recent democratic history, aimed to amend the constitution to allow then-President Obasanjo to seek a third term in office.
This period was marked by intense political manoeuvring and alleged financial inducements to lawmakers.
Wabara, shedding light on the incident, recounted how the bribe was delivered to him.
“I turned down a N250 million bribe to support the third-term agenda. The money came to me by 1:30 a.m., before my third-term speech. It came in a sparkling black G-Wagon. I can still remember that it was in a black G-Wagon and a rickety 504 station wagon. The money was discharged, and my wife was there.”
Despite rumours that some senators received N50 million to back the agenda, Wabara stated he was offered N250 million, which was brought to his residence in the middle of the night.
He attributed his decision to reject the bribe to his educational background and personal principles.
Highlighting the broader implications of his decision, Wabara remarked, “Without people like us, there wouldn’t be democracy now. Yes, if we had supported the third term, you know, I mean we would have had dictatorship, tyranny, and people like Buhari wouldn’t have emerged. Even president Tinubu would not have emerged because Obasanjo would have still been there.”
Reflecting on the current political landscape, Wabara lamented the weaponization of poverty by those in power.
“Hunger misdirects, and my people say that when you are having leaves or whatever the goat eats, you are the person they will continue to follow. That is what is happening in our democracy today because of hunger.
“The elders and the politicians—those in government—are not creating the enabling environments to eschew hunger.”
He accused the political elite of deliberately maintaining conditions that keep the electorate impoverished and dependent.
“It is a deliberate act to continue to make the electorate hungry so that they will continue to follow sheepishly. So, there will be stomach infrastructure before they start thinking whether we are being led aright.”
Wabara also took the opportunity to clarify the circumstances surrounding his departure from office, stating that he resigned voluntarily and was not ousted by Obasanjo, reiterating that there was no external pressure involved.
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