Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Owvigho Igbuya, has pleaded with Delta journalists and politicians to protect his image as he pilots the affairs of the state House of Assembly.

The plea is coming on the heels of reports alleging that the speaker had demanded N5m each from members of the State House of Assembly to compromise the integrity of the judges trying cases at the state House of Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Asaba.

The speaker, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Henry Ebireri, said the bribery allegation leveled against him by some members of the state House of Assembly was done in bad blood and aimed at smearing his good image before the people of Delta State.

The allegation went viral weekend that the speaker had demanded N5m from each member of the state House of Assembly to compromise the integrity of the judges at the state election petition tribunal so as to decide the cases in favour of members of the house who have been brought before the tribunal, including himself.

It was reported that a Labour Party member of the House who declined to pay his contribution spoke to journalists on the underground deal of the Speaker to influence the decision of the tribunal judges.

But the law maker was quoted to have said he had no fear of losing his case at the tribunal, hence he had no intention of contributing N5m to influence the decision of the judges.

But Mr. Ebireri said the allegation and the report were done out of wickedness against the person of the Speaker, describing him as a honest person who would not want to soil his hard earned reputation.

Ebireri said that the allegation against the Speaker was a political fabrication aimed at undermining the speaker’s integrity and rope him into issues that have no bearing with his person.

“The Delta State House of Assembly Speaker is an honest and highly effective speaker. He has built a reputation anchored on integrity over the years and he cannot afford to lose it at this time that he had emerged speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.”

Ebireri who also called the allegations nonsense, appealed to office and money seeking politicians to temper ambition and greed with concern for public good and genuine welfare of the people.

•Photo shows Rt. Hon. Igbuya.