Former Minister of Sports Solomon Dalung has alleged that he was asked to provide a ₦200 million bribe during his first budget defence before a National Assembly committee, describing the incident as evidence of systemic corruption in the budget process.
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, July 3, 2026, while discussing the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential International Peaceful Future Council (PIPFC), Dalung claimed lawmakers made the demand after he presented the Ministry of Sports’ budget proposal.
“When I went to defend my first budget at the National Assembly, after presenting a summary of my budget, I was asked to raise 200 million. I told the committee that, looking at the budget line items, I didn’t see ‘bribe’ listed as one of them,” Dalung said.
He alleged that after refusing the request, committee members excused him from the session and said they would continue discussions with the ministry’s permanent secretary. Dalung claimed he was often excluded from detailed budget deliberations thereafter.
The former minister argued that such practices undermine transparency and accountability, alleging that some ministers complied with similar demands to facilitate the approval of their budgets.
