A member of Ad hoc Committee  of House of Representatives which probed the fuel subsidy regime in the country, Hon. Ahmad Ali, at the weekend, dismissed as speculation the allegation that members of the House collected N10 million each as bribe to shield the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe, from being indicted in the oil subsidy probe.

Ali who represents Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency of Kwara State at the National Assembly disclosed this to journalists in Ilorin, at an education empowerment programme  organised for youth in his constituency.

According to him, "The recent presentation of the report of the committee at the floor of the House  was done live and it was transparent. Every Nigerian watched the proceedings live. You know democracy is at work in the House of Representatives. The recommendations were read and debated and the majority carried the day."

He added: "Whether that goes on or whether something else goes on, I don’t know. We've done our job and you can see some aspects of the report were lenient. You can see democracy at work."

Ali stressed that: "Am not sure if the money was distributed. If Ali Ahmad was to take money, today, I would have been a millionaire. Some people actually brought money and we rejected. So, it will be demeaning of me to take N10 million. If I'll eat a frog, I'll eat one that is very fat."

When further asked if any other member of the House took the bribe, Ali said he wouldn't know. Speaking on his education empowerment programme, Ali, who said people can't be empowered by giving them money endlessly, added that the programme aimed to assist youths  with potential to enable them pick up pieces of their life.

He said the youth numbering 300, were tutored by recruited teachers to assist them in their NABTEB examinations, adding that successful ones among them that got admissions into tertiary institutions would be sponsored.