Dogara desperately begged us to forgive him, says Jibrin
Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:05:am Politics
2.8K By sosa hills
Following allegation that some members of the House of Representatives are plotting to impeach the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, over alleged padding of the 2016 budget, the embattled former Appropriation Committee Chairman, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin yesterday said that the Speaker had on Monday begged the Northeast caucus members of the House for forgiveness over his role in the padding of the budget but his request was rejected.
While briefing newsmen after a brief plenary session, Jibrin revealed that lawmakers who were at the meeting told Dogara to beg Nigerians as the 360 members do not represent themselves but Nigerians.
Jibrin contended that Dogara's request at the caucus meeting that the issue be investigated internally was not tenable, as the rule of the House stated otherwise, insisting that the Speaker should step down for proper investigation.
He said: "When a grievous allegation of this nature is raised, there is a laid down rules to investigate such issue, it should not be investigated internally. The Speaker should step down for proper investigation. Nobody is haunting him, but he should step down for a committee to do its work and investigate the issue.
"The Speaker begged us that we should forgive him. He also begged for the principal officers. He said that the House should forget what happened in the 2016 budget. But Hon. Sani Zoro told the Speaker that the House will forgive him, but we have to accompany him to beg Nigerians.
"When he was begging, you could see the desperation on his face that he does not want to leave the seat. He love the position of Speaker so much.
"My question to him is,'' did he connive with the principal officers to corner the N40 billion?
In reaction to Jibrin's statement, the spokesperson of the House, Abddulrazak Namdas with 15 members of the Northwest caucus who spoke on behalf of the House, debunked Jibrin's allegations saying that they were all false.
According to Namdas, the essence of the meeting which took place on Monday and presided over by the Speaker, was to deliberate on the way forward to address the current economic recession.
While briefing newsmen after a brief plenary session, Jibrin revealed that lawmakers who were at the meeting told Dogara to beg Nigerians as the 360 members do not represent themselves but Nigerians.
Jibrin contended that Dogara's request at the caucus meeting that the issue be investigated internally was not tenable, as the rule of the House stated otherwise, insisting that the Speaker should step down for proper investigation.
He said: "When a grievous allegation of this nature is raised, there is a laid down rules to investigate such issue, it should not be investigated internally. The Speaker should step down for proper investigation. Nobody is haunting him, but he should step down for a committee to do its work and investigate the issue.
"The Speaker begged us that we should forgive him. He also begged for the principal officers. He said that the House should forget what happened in the 2016 budget. But Hon. Sani Zoro told the Speaker that the House will forgive him, but we have to accompany him to beg Nigerians.
"When he was begging, you could see the desperation on his face that he does not want to leave the seat. He love the position of Speaker so much.
"My question to him is,'' did he connive with the principal officers to corner the N40 billion?
In reaction to Jibrin's statement, the spokesperson of the House, Abddulrazak Namdas with 15 members of the Northwest caucus who spoke on behalf of the House, debunked Jibrin's allegations saying that they were all false.
According to Namdas, the essence of the meeting which took place on Monday and presided over by the Speaker, was to deliberate on the way forward to address the current economic recession.
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