House of Reps denies Binance CEO’s bribery allegation

The House of Representatives has denied allegations of bribery by cryptocurrency exchange Binance CEO Richard Teng.

Teng accused the House Committee on Financial Crimes, chaired by Ginger Onwusibe (LP, Abia), of soliciting bribes at a meeting in January.

Teng claimed that Binance representatives were approached by unidentified individuals, who suggested making a payment in exchange for dropping the allegation.

The meeting, according to Teng, was chaired by Peter Akpanke, the Honourable Philip Agbese, and the Honourable Peter Aniekwe, as well as a clerk.

However, when plenary resumed on Wednesday, a member, Kama NkemKanma, raised an order of privilege, alleging that the Binance CEO’s claim is an attempt to embarrass the House.

Nkemkanma claimed that the House never had any dealings with Binance.

“We have never invited this person before. This house has never had a meeting with this person before,” Nkemkanma said.

“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.”

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen also dismissed the bribery allegation in his ruling that the committee never interacted with Binance.

Tajudeen instructed the House Clerk, 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,” Tajudeen said.