The
sacked Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on
Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, says at least 250 out of the 360
members of the House have signed a petition for the removal of Yakubu
Dogara.
Speaking during a programme on Africa Independent Television (AIT), titled ‘Focus Nigeria’ on
Thursday, the embattled former Chairman of the House of Representatives
Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, is not slowing down on
his bid to expose the culprits involved in the widely reported budget
padding at the National Assembly.
According to Punch Newspaper, in a new interview, the lawmaker
disclosed that at least 250 out of the 360 members of the House have
signed a petition calling for the probe and removal of the Speaker,
Yakubu Dogara, adding that the Department of State Services had beefed
up security around him due to threats he had been receiving.
Jibrin who claimed that some of his colleagues even demanded that
they marched down to the secretariat of the appropriations committee,
but he told them that it was not yet time to do so, added that the
intention of Dogara was to ensure that the House remained on recess
until September when the tension would have been doused.
He said part of the demands of the lawmakers was that Dogara
should immediately reconvene the House, which is on holiday, and then
step down and allow a thorough probe of the lower chamber of the
National Assembly, adding that Dogara had become jittery and had refused
to give in to their demands.
“I am not alone, I am with many members. Yesterday (Wednesday),
a lot of them said they wanted to go to the secretariat with me, but I
said no. I didn’t want us to make the thing to look like a movie.
“We have the transparency group and it did not just start now;
so no one can say Jibrin initiated it. It was formed even before we went
on holiday. Anyone that says we are lying must be a joker because there
were about 200 signatures before we left for holiday.
“Now, they have increased to about 250. Another group has
emerged aside the integrity group and these groups have come together
and all they are asking Mr. Speaker to do is to reconvene the House
immediately and step down, but the body language of Mr. Speaker and a
few corrupt people around him is that the issue would have died down
when we resume in September and Nigerians would have forgotten.
“You are corrupt and you are talking about September. What we
are asking for is that Mr. Speaker should reconvene the House
immediately and step down so that internal and external investigations
can go on concurrently.”
Jibrin said apart from the Speaker, the culprits in the budget
padding allegations were the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; the Minority
Leader, Leo Ogor; and the Chief Whip, Alhassan Doguwa.
He said the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, was not part of the
alleged budget padding because Gbajabiamila had been marginalised by
Dogara and was not in the chamber’s inner caucus, adding that he used to
be friends with Gbajabiamila, but they had not been on talking terms
since last year when he supported Dogara for the post of the Speaker.
“People keep asking why I didn’t mention Femi (Gbajabiamila). I
tried to explain that it is these four principal officers – the
Speaker, the deputy, the whip and the minority leader – that are
involved. Everyone who knows the House will tell you that these four
people have hijacked it.
“The meeting where they decided to divert N40bn was at the
office of the Speaker and it was the four of them that insisted. Even
though I am not on good terms with Femi, he has not been involved in the
decisions of the House even as the Leader. He has been excluded from
key decisions in the House.”
Jibrin said he made 25 allegations against the Speaker and his
cohorts, adding that he had concrete evidence, which he was willing to
present.
Are You On youtube? subscribe to Hot GIST Channel Latest Updates - @Hot Gist
Are You On youtube? subscribe to Gospel World (which is also owned by Tony Gists) youtube Channel Latest Updates - @Gospel world
Are you on audio mack? Follow Tonygists on audio mack to listen and download to the latest Mfm sermons Latest Updates - @Tonygists
Follow Tonygists on LinkedIn to get more jobs opportunities Latest Updates - @Tonygists
Are You On youtube? subscribe to Honest Ose Channel Latest Updates - @Honest Ose
Are You On youtube? subscribe to Honest Web Solutions Channel Latest Updates - @Honest Web Solutions
Are You On youtube? subscribe to Xtremely Honest Channel Latest Updates - @Xtremely Honest
Are You On Twitter? Follow Us Now For Latest Updates - @tonygists
Are You On FACEBOOK? Like Our Page For Latest Updates - tonygists
Are You On FACEBOOK? Join Our Group For Latest Updates And Interactions - TonyGists
© 2024 Tonygists | Portions are © 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.
