House of Representatives Speaker Bankole has dispelled media reports credited to Wikileaks that he alleged that Supreme Court justices were bribed to validate the Yar’Adua/Jonathan election in 2007.

Bankole said reports that he questioned the credibility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were also false.

A statement by his media aide, Kayode Odunaro, reads: “The attention of the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives has been drawn to publications in the media quoting “Wikileaks,” alleging that Bankole said Supreme Court justices took bribes to validate the Yar’Adua/Jonathan election and described the EFCC as “not worth a penny.

Dimeji Bankole, Speaker House of Reps

“We deny that Bankole ever made such allegations against respected justices of the Supreme Court and the EFCC in any meeting with the then United States Ambassador, Ms. Robin Sanders. The official meeting Ms. Sanders had with Mr. Speaker was in the presence of the leadership of the House and did not last for more than 20 minutes. It is a lie that Mr. Speaker had a two-hour private meeting with Ms. Sanders.

“The Office of the Speaker challenges US officials to authenticate these wild allegations that strike at the integrity of Nigeria’s judiciary and foremost anti-corruption agency.

“The cordial relationship that existed between the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and the Speaker is an open secret, aside the fact that he was part of the Yar’adua administration. He could not have made an allegation against the justices which impugn on the Yar’adua administration.

“We are surprised that any Nigerian medium could give credence to and publish what in essence could be mere gossip and unconfirmed summary of diplomats trying to get a grip of issues ongoing in their host-countries for their home-government.

“We advise the media that such sensational allegations, bordering on crime against the highest judicial officers of the land and its foremost anti-corruption agency, should be handled more responsibly with verifiable authentication from all parties in the interest of protecting the judiciary, which