Breaking News: Reps suspend Jibrin for 180 legislative days
Thu Sep 29, 2016 08:24:am Politics
3.7K By sosa hills
The House of Representatives has bared its pangs on former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano) by slamming a one-year suspension on him over his allegation that its leadership padded the 2016 Budget with N40 billion.
During the period, the House directed Jibrin to keep away from the lower legislative chamber for 180 legislative days because he failed to substantiate his allegations of the padding of the 2016 budget against the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the House.
Jibrin is also banned from appearing in the premises of the National Assembly during the period while no salaries or allowances will be paid to him.
The House further banned Jibrin from holding any position of responsibility during the lifespan of the current National Assembly.
Its action followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges chaired by Hon. Nicholas Ossai at the plenary presided by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sulaimon Yusuf Lasun.
According to the report, the committee found that Jibrin's statements were "injurious, scandalous and denigrating" to the House as an institution.
The committee said that Jibrin's statements had damaged the image of the members and subjected the House to public ridicule.
It added that the action of Jibrin amounted to an infraction of sections 21 and 24 of the House.
Jibrin's allegation had been largely targeted at Dogara and three other principal officers, whose resignation and prosecution he had continued to demand.
Dogara had announced shortly before the House went on a two- month recess, the removal of Jibrin in a speech he read in plenary on July 20, alleging budget fraud and serial betrayal of trust.
Upon resumption on September 20, the House moved a motion the next day to have Jibrin probed for allegedly breaching the privileges of members.
Hon. Emmanuel OrkerJev, (APC-Benue) proposed tough sanctions against Jibrin for the damage his allegations have allegedly wrought on the House.
The House also demanded that Jibrin tender a written apology to the House upon serving out the period of his suspension.
A few minutes after the House's resolution, Jibrin in a letter titled: "Details and management of running cost and other allowances of principal officers of the House," dated 28th September 2016 and addressed to the principal officers and other members of the House, vowed to follow up on the anti-corruption crusade until justice is served.
He sent copies of the two-page letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of Department of State Security (DSS), the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC), the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption and the Clerks of the National Assembly and the House.
Jibrin Said: "You will recall that I have embarked on an anti-corruption crusade to expose systemic and individual corruption in the House of Representatives and push for reforms that will wipe out corruption and ensure that the House conducts its affairs and management of its finances in a transparent and efficient way for the good of our country.
"In the last few weeks I have raised several allegations of budget fraud, abuse of office, public trust and corruption against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yussuf Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor and a few other members.
"None of them responded to the allegations neither has any of them with the exception of the House Leader honour the invitation or submit and clear his name before the security and anti-graft agencies. I will follow up on this case until justice is served.
"Similarly, and in the spirit of opening up the affairs of the House for the Nigerian people, I released figures of the amount each of you received as running cost. None of you responded despite the gravity of the issue. This is an issue that Nigerians in their millions are calling on us to open up. I will take it for granted that you have all denied the allegations.
"It is in view of the above and enforcing that I demand each of you to provide me and make public within 72 hours what you have received in monetary terms as running cost of your offices in your entire stay in the House of Representatives and details of how you spent it failure of which I will take necessary legal action to compel you to do so," he said.
During the period, the House directed Jibrin to keep away from the lower legislative chamber for 180 legislative days because he failed to substantiate his allegations of the padding of the 2016 budget against the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the House.
Jibrin is also banned from appearing in the premises of the National Assembly during the period while no salaries or allowances will be paid to him.
The House further banned Jibrin from holding any position of responsibility during the lifespan of the current National Assembly.
Its action followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges chaired by Hon. Nicholas Ossai at the plenary presided by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sulaimon Yusuf Lasun.
According to the report, the committee found that Jibrin's statements were "injurious, scandalous and denigrating" to the House as an institution.
The committee said that Jibrin's statements had damaged the image of the members and subjected the House to public ridicule.
It added that the action of Jibrin amounted to an infraction of sections 21 and 24 of the House.
Jibrin's allegation had been largely targeted at Dogara and three other principal officers, whose resignation and prosecution he had continued to demand.
Dogara had announced shortly before the House went on a two- month recess, the removal of Jibrin in a speech he read in plenary on July 20, alleging budget fraud and serial betrayal of trust.
Upon resumption on September 20, the House moved a motion the next day to have Jibrin probed for allegedly breaching the privileges of members.
Hon. Emmanuel OrkerJev, (APC-Benue) proposed tough sanctions against Jibrin for the damage his allegations have allegedly wrought on the House.
The House also demanded that Jibrin tender a written apology to the House upon serving out the period of his suspension.
A few minutes after the House's resolution, Jibrin in a letter titled: "Details and management of running cost and other allowances of principal officers of the House," dated 28th September 2016 and addressed to the principal officers and other members of the House, vowed to follow up on the anti-corruption crusade until justice is served.
He sent copies of the two-page letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of Department of State Security (DSS), the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC), the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption and the Clerks of the National Assembly and the House.
Jibrin Said: "You will recall that I have embarked on an anti-corruption crusade to expose systemic and individual corruption in the House of Representatives and push for reforms that will wipe out corruption and ensure that the House conducts its affairs and management of its finances in a transparent and efficient way for the good of our country.
"In the last few weeks I have raised several allegations of budget fraud, abuse of office, public trust and corruption against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yussuf Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor and a few other members.
"None of them responded to the allegations neither has any of them with the exception of the House Leader honour the invitation or submit and clear his name before the security and anti-graft agencies. I will follow up on this case until justice is served.
"Similarly, and in the spirit of opening up the affairs of the House for the Nigerian people, I released figures of the amount each of you received as running cost. None of you responded despite the gravity of the issue. This is an issue that Nigerians in their millions are calling on us to open up. I will take it for granted that you have all denied the allegations.
"It is in view of the above and enforcing that I demand each of you to provide me and make public within 72 hours what you have received in monetary terms as running cost of your offices in your entire stay in the House of Representatives and details of how you spent it failure of which I will take necessary legal action to compel you to do so," he said.
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