The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, Prof. Muazu Abubakar, has refuted claims that members of the House of Representatives Committee on University Education demanded N480 million to approve federal universities' 2025 budgets.
In a letter dated January 27 and addressed to the committee’s chairman, Abubakar Fulata, the VC dismissed media reports alleging that lawmakers pressured vice-chancellors to pay N8 million each as a condition for budget approval.
He clarified that while the report referred to a “stubborn vice-chancellor,” speculated to be him, he initially chose to ignore the claims but later responded to prevent misinformation from being accepted as fact.
“The attention of the Federal University, Gusau, has been drawn to an online report titled Investigation: Nigerian Lawmakers Demand N480 Million from Universities to Approve 2025 Budget,” he stated.
He emphasized that no member of the university’s team involved in the budget defense had any connection to the allegations and urged the committee to disregard the “malicious and misleading” report. Abubakar also praised the committee for conducting a “robust, friendly, and engaging” budget defense session.
Similarly, Fulata dismissed the allegations in a press briefing, describing them as an attempt to tarnish the committee’s efforts to improve Nigeria’s education sector.
“It is absurd to suggest that lawmakers demanded even a kobo to approve budget proposals,” he said, adding that the report sought to mislead the public about the committee’s activities.
House spokesman Akin Rotimi also condemned the report, stating that it was a deliberate attempt to discredit lawmakers. He reaffirmed the 10th House of Representatives' commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical standards, stressing that the allegations lacked credible investigative effort and were meant to erode public trust in the legislature.
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