Osun Assembly threatens to sue project consultant over $5m bribe allegation

The Osun State House of Assembly has threatened to sue the consultant of Ilesa water project, Tawa Williams, for defamation.

Mrs Williams had said some members of the Assembly demanded a bribe of five million dollars from her.

Mrs Williams said the lawmakers who approached her for the bribe were led by the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Nasiru Olateju.

But Timothy Owoeye, Speaker of the Assembly, at the plenary on Thursday, condemned the allegation.

According to a statement by his Media Aide, Kunle Alabi, the Speaker gave the project consultant 24 hours to retract the accusation or face the law.

“The House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye has given Engineer Tawa Williams 24 hours to retract her bribery allegation against the committee of the Assembly, her failure to do that within the said hours, the Assembly shall be forced to seek redress in court as no amount of blackmail will stop the Assembly from playing its constitutional role,” he said.

The Speaker insisted that none of the lawmakers would demand a bribe before discharging their constitutional duties.

“Osun House of Assembly will never ask any Agency of government or individual for any gratification before it could adequately discharge it’s constitutional duties,” he added.

“The said Engineer Tawa Williams had shown that she’s not worthy to have been handed such huge responsibility with her recent outburst of resorting to blackmail to keep afloat with her designation as the consultant of the water project,” the speaker maintained.

Mr Owoeye, however, urged members of the House not to allow the allegation to deter them from discharging their duties.

“The Speaker charged members of the Committee on Water Resources not to be discouraged in the discharge of their duties. Her latest outburst reinforces the need for you to wrap up your work and make your report official.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke said he is not after witch-hunting anybody but to ensure that people of Ilesa enjoy clean and drinkable water.

The spokesperson of the governor, Olawale Rasheed told PREMIUM TIMES that the moneY claimed to have been spent does not reflect on the project.
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