The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Henry Ebireri on Wednesday urged the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to investigate the alleged attempt to bribe the Election Tribunal judges and identify those behind it.
In a statement issued in Asaba, Ebireri said “This is necessary in order to forestall denting of image which false reports could create in the minds of the public.”
Mr Ebireri who stressed the need for media professionals to be thorough and be armed with correct facts and figures in the area of investigative journalism, commended the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) and urged the security agency to invite those behind the allegation to give useful information.
In a related development, two members of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Efe Ofobruku and Godwin Abigor, both of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, have dissociated themselves from an online report by Saharareporters alleging that members of the state legislature are contributing five million Naira each to bribe the Election Petition Tribunal Panel to decide cases before it in their favour.
Addressing newsmen in Asaba, Hon Ofobruku, Uvwie and Hon Abigor, Warri South One Constituency condemned the report in its entirety, describing it as wicked, malicious and attempt to bring the house into disrepute.
The lawmakers, Hon Efe Ofobruku and Godwin Abigor stated that it was more worrisome to read that the Speaker directed all the 28 members to contribute the said amount to bribe the members of the Election Petition Tribunal panel sitting in Asaba, the state capital.
They drew attention to the fact that about six members of the sixth Assembly have no case in the election petition tribunal as regards the House of Assembly Elections in Delta State.
Hon Ofobruku and Hon Abigor said they were not aware of any contribution being made in any quarter as regards bribing the election petition tribunal, saying it was important to clear their names and that of their party from the said publication by Saharareporters.
The two lawmakers maintained that there are three election petition tribunal sitting in Asaba adjudicating over different electoral cases and wondered which one was the online news media was referring to.
Hon Ofobruku and Hon Abigor said they are in tribunal with PDP candidates over their victories at the polls and wondered how the Speaker who is PDP would ask non PDP members to contribute money to fight his party’s candidates.
They dissociated themselves from the publication and condemned the trend being adopted by some persons to tarnish the image of the house.
Hon Ofobruku and Hon Abigor also expressed sadness over attempt by Saharareporters to give credibility to the said report by alleging that some opposition members in the house, including the SDP and Labour Party, spoke to it correspondent on the issue.
They advised the news media to encourage the growth of democracy in Nigeria and stop being a tool for spreading lies in the society.
