The National Legislative Assembly Gate - courtesy

The spokesperson of the National Legislature has dismissed reports that Members of Parliament were paid money to support the recent constitutional amendments.

The denial comes after confidential sources told Eye Radio that legislators were paid a package in advance to pass the bills, including the constitutional amendments and the upcoming budget for 2026-2027.

However, Oliver Mori Benjamin, who is also Chairperson of the Information Committee, says the allegations are false and unfounded.

Mori also confirmed that a meeting was held on Sunday but said it was not a sitting of Parliament or the Council of States.

Speaking exclusively to Eye Radio, Mori explained that the meeting was an internal caucus meeting of the SPLM, one of the parties to the peace agreement.

“The meeting before was neither the sitting of the TNLA nor the sitting of the Council of States. That was a sitting of one of the political parties signatories to the agreement, which is the SPLM. They set in their caucus, and it is also there in the conduct and the constitution that any of the parties to the agreement can have their private meeting to discuss issues not necessarily the 13th amendment. No, they can discuss any other political issue,” he added.

Mori rejected claims that money was distributed during Sunday’s meeting, saying he personally attended the gathering as an SPLM member.

“The point you raised in that, and money was distributed, this is fake and unfounded allegation. If you can mention that person who said he witnessed money was being distributed, it would be good because I was even in that meeting of the SPLM because I am a member of SPLM,” he stressed.

“There was nothing as such which you are saying. It is in the public. It is the concoction of course of the mass media and which is even prohibited by our laws,” he stated.

The denial comes amid reports that lawmakers are under pressure to pass the national budget and the 13th Constitutional Amendment before the end of the current transitional period on September 22.