From Abel Zwànke, Lafia
The Ombugadu Media Network has described recent allegations that its principal, Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu, collected a N3 billion bribe to relinquish his legal challenge at the Supreme Court as “baseless, illogical, and a failed ploy to tarnish his reputation.”
In a press statement issued on Friday by the head of the network, Mr. Danjuma Samuel, the group dismissed the claims as a desperate attempt by political adversaries to demarket a man who has become a political symbol in Nasarawa State and beyond.
“Logically speaking, there is no way Hon. Ombugadu would trade the people’s mandate for a mere N3 billion. The accusation is not only ridiculous but also an insult to the collective intelligence of the electorate,”Danjuma stated.
According to Danjuma Ombugadu, a former federal lawmaker and two-time governorship contender, has spent more than N3 billion in his political journey, especially during the 2019 and 2023 elections. “If you sum up his political expenditures over the years, it surpasses that amount. So the notion that he collected such a sum to abandon his mandate is laughable,” he said.
He further questioned the logic behind the claim, asking, “Assuming without conceding that Ombugadu collected N3 billion, does it then mean each of the six Supreme Court Justices who sat on the matter received a similar amount to deliver a ruling against him? That would total N18 billion. Who has that kind of money to influence a judgment at that level?”
Danjuma noted that the legal team representing Ombugadu comprises over 14 lawyers, including some of Nigeria’s most revered Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), such as Kanu Agabi, Kaigama, and Okutepa—men whose reputations for integrity and professionalism are beyond reproach.
“Can anyone seriously believe that such legal luminaries would allow themselves to be compromised? The entire narrative is ill-conceived and aimed at discrediting a man whose popularity continues to soar even after the apex court ruling,” he added.
The Media Network offered a powerful reflection on the human and financial sacrifices behind Ombugadu’s political journey:
“Consider for a moment the immense financial and emotional toll of pursuing public service. Reflect on the staggering sums spent by Ombugadu—first on preliminary campaigns, then on fiercely contested primaries, and finally the exorbitant costs of a general election in a system burdened by financial demands.
“Add to this the grueling legal battles that spanned multiple levels of the judiciary, requiring a team of over 14 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including the nation’s most distinguished legal minds.”
“Each step demanded not just money, but resilience and sacrifice. Now ask yourself: Can such a sum as N3 billion ever truly compensate for the weight of these layered struggles, or does it diminish the gravity of a journey marked by both ambition and adversity? What figure could ever align with the moral cost of justice?”
The group alleged that the false narrative is being sponsored by one Mr. Kefas Tiga and his political backers, who are jittery over the increasing popularity of Ombugadu and the movement he represents.
“Ombugadu is not just a politician; he has become a movement rooted in the hearts of the people. No amount of blackmail or propaganda can erase the bond he shares with the masses,” the statement concluded.
According to Danjuma “The people of Nasarawa still refer to him as their governor, not out of defiance, but out of admiration and belief in his leadership qualities. He is a man after God’s own heart.”
