Alleged $5m Bribe: Osun Assembly Gives Water Project Consultant 24hrs To Retract Statement

Members of the state of Osun House of Assembly have described the allegation levelled against them by the consultant handling $106million Ilesa Water project, Engr. Tawakalitu Williams, that they demanded $5,000,000 bribe as falsehood.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, in his reaction, noted that such statement could tarnish the image of the lawmakers. Owoeye then demanded a retraction of the statement within 24hours, saying that failure to do so would lead to legal action.

The Speaker, who spoke during plenary yesterday, maintained that the Assembly would investigate the bribery allegation. According to him, “No amount of blackmail can stop the House of Assembly’s investigation. Such allegation can disturb the peace, harmony and development of the state,” he added.

In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources and Energy, Hon. Nasir Babatunde Olateju, also denied the bribery allegation. He said that nobody requested for money from Mrs Tawakalitu Williams and the contractor handling Ilesa Water Project. Recall that the embattled coordinator and consultant of the $106m Ilesa Water Project, Engr. Williams had accused the Osun State House of Assembly of demanding a sum of $5 million bribe on the Ilesa Water Project. Williams had alleged that Hon. Nasiru Olateju demanded the $5m bribe on behalf of the assembly.

Williams raised the allegations on Thursday, in Osogbo, while answering questions on Morning Spring on Western Spring Television, a private television station in Osun, monitored by our correspondent Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday, suspended Engr. Williams as the consultant handling the Ilesa Water Project over an alleged questionable handling of $106million loan secured for the project.