Reps Panel Denies Allegation of N50M Bribe for 2025 University Budgets Approval

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on University Education, Mr. Abubakar Fulata, has dismissed claims that his committee demanded a bribe of N50 million from each vice-chancellor of federal universities as a requirement for approving their 2025 budgets, stating that there is no truth to the allegation.

A report published by Premium Times alleged that the committee was pressuring vice-chancellors from approximately 60 federal universities to pay N8 million each—amounting to N480 million—before their budget allocations for 2025 would be approved.

In an interview, Fulata, who represents Birniwa/Guri/Kiri Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, described the report as a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians and an effort to discredit the committee’s work in reforming the country’s higher education sector.

Fulata, who previously served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business in the 9th National Assembly, stated that it was both “mischievous” and “ridiculous” for anyone or any group to accuse him of soliciting money in exchange for approving budget proposals.

He urged media professionals to ensure they verify information thoroughly before disseminating it to the public.

Addressing the claims made in the Premium Times report, Fulata stated that in 2024, the House Committee on University Education had conducted oversight visits to all federal universities under its jurisdiction, except for Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, where the vice-chancellor allegedly prevented them from gaining access to the institution.

He further alleged that the vice-chancellor of Gusau University failed to present documents related to past budget performance (from 2022 to 2024) and the 2025 budget proposal, which were necessary to assess the universities’ progress and challenges.

According to Fulata, nearly all the universities visited raised serious concerns about the steep rise in electricity costs.

He explained that some institutions were paying as much as “N100 million” per month for electricity, which he said was unsustainable for higher education institutions. In response, he moved a motion on the issue, leading the House to pass a resolution calling for either a reduction in electricity tariffs or the exemption of these institutions from the Band A electricity tariff category. Fulata added that “Mr. President again listened to our appeal and approved a 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariffs for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and all tertiary institutions and hospitals.”

Regarding the allegation that a meeting originally scheduled for 10 a.m. at the National Assembly was delayed until 3 p.m. due to private negotiations between lawmakers and some vice-chancellors, Fulata clarified that the committee held a budget defense session for the National Universities Commission and university vice-chancellors on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, which coincided with “Armed Forces Remembrance Day,” not the date and time inaccurately stated by the publication.

He emphasized that the budget defense took place in the House’s temporary chamber and was open to both the public and the media. There was no “executive session” or “closed-door session,” and proceedings concluded before the House Committee on Water Resources began its own budget defense in the same venue at 2 p.m.

Fulata stressed that the heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), like “President Bola Tinubu,” are required to appear before the National Assembly to defend their budget proposals, regardless of their schedules.

He further stated: “Similarly, if the Ministers of Education, the Executive Secretary of NUC, and other Parastatals under the Ministry, as well as over 50 universities, could come and defend their budget proposals before the committee, there is no reason why the vice-chancellors of the University of Lagos, Federal University Gusau, and Army University Bi’u should refuse to come and defend their budget proposals. Instead, they have resorted to blackmail, smear campaigns, and the sponsorship of public outcry against the committee.”

Fulata noted that both the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan were among the institutions “indicted by the Auditor-General of the Federation for financial malfeasance” and had failed to appear before the House Committee on Public Accounts to respond to audit queries.

He added that the committee had escalated the issue to the House leadership, insisting that the budgets of institutions whose heads refused to appear for defense should not be approved.

He affirmed that the House Committee on University Education, alongside other House Committees on Education and the House of Representatives under the leadership of “Speaker Abbas Tajudeen PhD,” remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted academic activities in tertiary institutions while striving to enhance the quality of education in Nigeria.