Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has alleged that members of the National Assembly demanded a ₦200 million bribe from him during his first budget defence under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Dalung made the claim while reflecting on his time in office, describing the incident as one of his earliest encounters with corruption in Nigeria's public sector.
According to him, the lawmakers requested the money shortly after he presented the ministry's budget proposal. He said he rejected the demand, explaining that there was no budget provision for such a payment.
> "I searched through the budget and found no line for bribery. I told them I had no idea where I was expected to get ₦200 million," Dalung said.
He alleged that after refusing the request, lawmakers excused him from the meeting and informed him they would continue discussions with the ministry's Permanent Secretary.
Dalung further claimed that he was sidelined from subsequent budget defence sessions, saying he was only allowed to present the ministry's budget before detailed discussions continued without him.
The former minister also alleged that some ministers complied with similar demands to ensure the smooth approval of their budget proposals, adding that such practices have weakened legislative oversight and undermined accountability in governance.
He argued that corruption within oversight institutions has contributed to the persistence of financial misconduct in government agencies.
As of the time of reporting, the National Assembly had not issued an official response to Dalung's allegations, which remain unverified.
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