A member of the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Auyo, has alleged that lawmakers are required to pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million to present bills, motions, and petitions before the Green Chamber.
Auyo, representing Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State under the All Progressives Congress, APC, made the disclosure during a meeting with constituents.
A video of the meeting, delivered in Hausa, has since gone viral.
The legislator was responding to criticism regarding his record in sponsoring bills.
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He stated, “Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass, either from Auyo, Hadejia, or Kafin Hausa. They are just pretending.”
Auyo continued, “Even the bills and petitions are paid for. You have to pay from ₦3 million, ₦2 million, or ₦1 million to present it. And after you present the bill, you must follow up by lobbying the whole 360 members of the House to accept the bill.”
The lawmaker explained that he was open to receiving proposals from the constituency, provided they were properly channelled.
“For the bills, I give each community the chance to present theirs. They should sit with their community leaders, write down their needs, and bring them to me in Auyo,” he said.
He added that constituents could also send representatives to meet his team in Abuja to confirm authenticity and feasibility
“We have done this before they started giving us such requests, so why can’t we do it now when they actually give them to us?” Auyo stated.
The lawmaker also rejected accusations that he had not assisted constituents in securing jobs.
“That is not true. Whoever says I didn’t help our youths is lying. Those I helped know themselves, and I can’t satisfy all,” he said.
He emphasised that 80 per cent of his empowerment initiatives were targeted at young people.
“My first motorcycle and car distribution was distributed to the youths. No single elderly person benefited,” he declared.
Auyo claimed that some young beneficiaries sold empowerment items at reduced prices.
“You bought [an empowerment item] at ₦300,000; they sell it for ₦150,000 immediately after collecting it,” he alleged.
The legislator urged constituents to collaborate with him until the end of his current term in 2027 and warned against making personal attacks on leaders.
He stated, “Insulting leaders for personal reasons is wrong. Some people, if not for politics, are too small to insult you.”
Addressing the youth, he added, “When you insult someone’s father today, tomorrow someone will insult your own father. When you insult someone, you are insulting your own father, even if he is in his grave.”
