A senior official of the National Assembly, Ifeoma Ofili, has stirred public outrage after making grave allegations of corruption, bribery, and manipulation by federal lawmakers, accusing them of compromising legislative integrity and diverting funds meant for staff welfare.
Ofili, a director at the House of Representatives and former Clerk of the House Committee on Local Content, made the claims during a retreat organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) on June 27 in Abuja. A video of her remarks at the closed-door event has since gone viral, triggering a wave of criticism across social media platforms.
In a visibly emotional address, Ofili alleged that lawmakers routinely demand and receive bribes from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) during oversight visits — a practice she said has eroded public trust in the legislative process.
“How do you account for the fact that the flight ticket to go and oversight somebody was paid for by that agency?” she asked. “You go there, they tell you what to write, they give you money, house you, and provide everything. And when the money comes, they fight over it and exclude the clerks and assistants who were on the same trip.”
She also accused legislators of sidelining statutory staff by hiring external consultants — sometimes individuals who did not attend hearings — to draft reports on critical national issues.
Recounting a 2023 incident, Ofili said: “A consultant was appointed to write a committee report. I asked him if he was at the hearing. He said no. I said, then what do you want to write? I refused to work with him and insisted on writing the report myself.”
Ofili condemned the practice as unethical and demeaning to professional clerks, lamenting that many are forced to remain silent due to fear of reprisals or due to being bound by oaths of secrecy.
“They will appear on TV and pretend to grill MDAs over misappropriation, but who questions the atrocities committed within the National Assembly itself?” she said, drawing applause and murmurs of agreement from some attendees in the video.
The director further alleged that lawmakers divert funds earmarked for staff training, healthcare, and welfare by merging them under vague budget headings.
“Even constitutional allowances meant for staff are ‘collapsed’ — that’s the word they use. Money for books, clinics, training, all lumped together and taken,” she stated. “We as staff, and as citizens, can’t even hold a press conference.”
Ofili painted a grim picture of life after service for legislative staff, claiming many retirees are left in financial distress while lawmakers “chop their own allowances and also chop ours.”
“You see them at the Assembly gate. No money to buy fuel. Nobody cares,” she lamented.
Her remarks have since attracted nationwide attention, with Nigerians on social media demanding a probe into the internal workings of the National Assembly.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the leadership of the National Assembly.
Calls are growing louder for an independent investigation into the allegations, which many see as a rare and courageous public indictment from within the heart of Nigeria’s legislature.
