Budget padding scandal: Jibrin challenges Dogara

–  The erstwhile chairman of Appropriations Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin has challenged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to a public debate over the budget padding crisis

– The former chairman of Appropriations Committeesaid the Speaker was embarking on a diversionary plan to mislead the public

–  Jibrin said what the leadership and some committee chairman did amounted to “appropriation fraud”.

Ousted chairman of Appropriations Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin has challenged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to a public debate on the allegations of padding if the 2016 budget.

Jibring in yet another statement issued on Thursday, August 11, said rather than defend himself against allegations of corruption levelled against him, the Speaker was embarking on “diversionary plan to  mislead the public, avoid the anti-corruption agencies and buy time to cover up their dirty mess.

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Leadership reports that the former chairman of Appropriations Committee said what the leadership and some committee chairman did amounted to “appropriation fraud.

“For instance, let’s say an item in a budget proposed by the executive under Power for the purchase of a transformer cost N2million and same amount was budgeted, If the Chairman House Committee on power because  he has the “powers” to appropriate decides to add N3million naira to jack up the allocation to 5million naira when it is a public knowledge that the transformer cannot cost more than 2million naira, what do you call that? That essentially means appropriation fraud.

“On the other hand, let’s say he decides to irrationally reduce the amount to  500,000 thousand naira knowing fully well that, the said amount cannot  buy the transformer, what do you call that? Appropriation Sabotage and such a chairman is a Saboteur. I have no apology for saying this!Little by little, I will be providing more in-depth details,” the statement said.

“I challenge Speaker Dogara and his  cabal to a public debate on their claim that the fraudulent insertions they made in the budget is not an offense that can be prosecuted under the laws of Nigeria. Rather than continue their futile effort to blackmail the entire country or continue their begging mission to the Party, Transparency and Integrity Group, Speaker Dogara and his gang  should submit themselves to the anti-corruption agencies and answer thousands of questions waiting for them” he said.

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Meanwhile, Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the House of Representatives, has been criticized over his comment that he cannot be investigated or interrogated over alleged 2016 budget padding.

According to Professor Itse Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Dogara goofed as nobody is exempted from prosecution or interrogation.

The erstwhile chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriations had accused the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and some officers of the House of padding the 2016 budget last month. He accused Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor of asking him to allocate to them N40 billion of the N100 billion allocation for members’ constituency projects.

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