Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara has reaffirmed his claim of rejecting a N250 million bribe to support the controversial third-term agenda during Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
During an excerpt of the YouTube interview series "Untold Stories with Adesuwa," released on Monday, Wabara confidently confirmed the authenticity of his previous assertions. "That’s very correct," he stated when questioned about the veracity of his claim.
Pressed further by the interviewer, Wabara remained steadfast in his stance. According to Punch, he elaborated on the political atmosphere of the period, remarking, “Then when they were saying they were distributing N50 million per Senator, I didn’t believe it.”
Additionally, Wabara addressed misconceptions surrounding his exit from office, clarifying, “First of all, I was not removed by Obasanjo, I resigned.” He firmly denied any insinuations of external pressure, stating, “No, there was even no pressure.”
Wabara emphasized the crucial role he and others played in maintaining Nigeria’s democratic process. He stated, “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 the present Tinubu would not have emerged because Obasanjo would have still been there.”
Reflecting on the broader consequences of their actions and the ongoing challenges faced by the Igbo people, Wabara remarked, “We have not been forgiven for what we did not cause, the Biafra War. It wasn’t our fault, but the propaganda is that the Igbos cannot be trusted."