BUDGET PADDING PALAVA : JIBRIN GOES TO COURT AFTER SUSPENSION

Sacked chairman of the House of
Representatives Committee on Appropriation,
Abdulmumin Jibrin, says he has instructed his
lawyers to file a suit against the Speaker and
the House of Representatives over his
suspension from the house Wednesday
September 28th.
Jibrin was suspended following his refusal to
appear before the House of Representatives
Committee on Ethics and privileges to address
the allegations of budget padding he leveled
against the Speaker and 13 other lawmakers.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja after his
suspension, Jibrin said he fears for the life o
those around him as he is fighting a mafia'.
"What is very important also is that now
they have done their worst, they have
suspended me, what has it changed?
Has it changed the fact that the speaker
conspired with other principal officers to
divert N40 billion out of N100 billion
meant for constituency projects. Has it
changed the fact that he inserted
fraudulent projects worth 20 billion? Has
it changed the fact that he diverted
multi-million naira project to his personal
farm? Has it changed the fact that he
tried to use the running cost — money
meant for running the offices of
members — for a questionable mortgage?
Has it changed the fact that he diverted
FGN project to his farm. The most
important thing is that Nigerians saw the
entire process, how the motion was
passed and what transpired at the level
of the ethics committee and entirely the
process was flawed and for me it’s a
non-issue and complete nonsense and it
is not going to stand anywhere in the
world. As you are aware the matter is a
subject of litigation.
I have instructed my lawyer, Femi Falana
SAN to file charges of contempt against
Speaker Dogara and of course the house
of representatives and I’m sure the
matter will move over to the judiciary
and decision will be taken. I’m pretty
sure it will be in my favour. At this point,
I must say they freed me up to
concentrate on the matter in court; I
know the suspension is not going to
stand. Secondly, I’m going into a
massive alliance with civil society
groups, NGOs and well-meaning Nigerian
to continue to press ahead. I have said
it, not once, not twice that it is not going
to be easy. I’m not worried about myself
but I am more worried about people
around me. I think this is a big issue; I’m
fighting a group of mafia, and I know
what they can do.
The battle I’m fighting is what Nigerians
have always wanted to do in the last 16
years when democracy came to bare, to
open the house of representatives and
I’m determined to ensure that justice is
served on Speaker Dogara and the
corrupt body of principal officers and
beyond that, reforms are implemented so
we can have a house that Nigerians will
be proud of.”






Sourced and edited by DANIEL IKECHUKWU EKWUNIFE