Don’t be deceived by Binance $150m bribery claims – Reps caution Nigerians
The House of Representatives has advised the public to rely on verified information before forming an opinion on the $150 million bribery allegations made by cryptocurrency giant Binance against three of its members.
Gistreel had previously reported that Binance’s Head of Financial Compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, alleged that lawmakers Ginger Onwusibe, Philip Agbese, and Peter Akpanke demanded a bribe to prevent his arrest and prosecution for alleged financial crimes.
Both Agbese and Onwusibe have denied the claims in separate statements, vowing to take legal action to clear their names.
In an official statement on Saturday, House spokesperson Akin Rotimi urged Nigerians not to be swayed by what he described as “recycled claims” aimed at discrediting public institutions and officials.
“As an independent arm of government, the House upholds due process, the rule of law, and constitutional oversight. These allegations, which first surfaced last year, target individual members rather than the institution itself,” the statement read.
The lawmakers named in the allegations have assured House leadership that they had no involvement in such dealings. One member has already taken legal action, while the others have been encouraged to do the same to protect their reputations.
The statement also emphasized that the matter has evolved into a government-to-government engagement involving both Nigerian and U.S. authorities. It noted that during high-level diplomatic discussions, the Nigerian government prioritized national interests over external commercial pressures, even rejecting financial settlement offers from Binance.
“These facts raise serious questions about the credibility and intent of the allegations being circulated,” the House stated.
Given that the case is now before a court and remains a subject of diplomatic discussions, the House said it would refrain from further comment in accordance with parliamentary, judicial, and diplomatic protocols.
