The CEO of Binance, Richard Teng, claimed on Tuesday that the House Committee on Financial Crimes demanded bribe from the representatives of the firm during a meeting at the National Assembly Complex in January
The House of Representatives says it will be taking appropriate action against cryptocurrency giant, Binance, over the latest bribery allegation against it.
The CEO of Binance, Richard Teng, in a post on Tuesday, stated that the House Committee on Financial Crimes, chaired by Ginger Onwusibe (LP, Abia), demanded money from representatives of Binance during a meeting at the National Assembly Complex in January.
“As our employees were leaving the venue, they were approached by unknown persons who suggested to them to make a payment in settlement of the allegations,” Mr Teng wrote.
According to Mr Teng, the meeting was chaired by “Peter Akpanke, the Honourable Philip Agbese, and the Honourable Peter Aniekwe, as well as a clerk.”
Upon resumption of plenary on Wednesday, a member, Kama NkemKanma raised an order of privilege, stating that the claim by Binance CEO is an attempt to embarrass the House.
In his submission, Mr Nkemkanma claimed that the House never had any encounter with Binance.
“We have never invited this person before. This House has never had a meeting with this person before. And this person woke up one morning and decided to accuse this House of demanding a bribe from them. This House can never allow itself to be embarrassed or talked down on in any way,” he said.
However, the claim by Mr Nkemkanma is false because BELLNEWS reported that the House Committee had several interface with Binance.
In his ruling, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen also maintained the same false claim that the committee never had an interface with Binance.
He, however, directed the Clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, to use “media available to us refute this allegation”.
“Nothing like that has ever happened. No committee of the House has ever engaged this man,” Mr Tajudeen said.
Details later…