Budget Padding Scandal: Jibrin needs to undergo psychiatric evaluation- Rep Leaders
Mon Aug 29, 2016 10:35:am Politics
2.5K By Buchi Obichie
As the fallout between former Appropriation Committee Chairman, House of Reps., Abdulmumin Jibrin and Principal Officers of the House continues, leaders of the lower legislative chamber have advised that psychiatric tests should be conducted on Jibrin, to ascertain whether he was not facing health challenges.
Jibrin's latest allegations that House leaders had pocketed "illegal" N10bn as office allowances between 2003 and this year, was received with shock; and as a result, House leaders have said his sudden change of focus from budget-padding allegations to the allowances of members, might be proof that he (Jibrin) needed medical attention.
On Friday, Jibrin (APC-Kano) had alleged that between 2003 and 2016, the 10 principal officers of the House had "embezzled" over N10bn allocated as "running costs".
The accused officers are the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; Deputy Leader, Buba Jibril; Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase; Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor ;Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde; and Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello-Maigeri.
Jibrin, whom the principal officers said was sacked for "abusing" the 2016 budget, had earlier on July 21, accused Dogara, Lasun, Ado-Doguwa, and Ogor of padding the budget by over N40bn.
But, Ogor, who conveyed the feeling of the leaders, said the rate Jibrin "churns out baseless figures" suggested that his "head should be examined urgently."
Speaking further, Ogor said, "His case is fast getting out of hands. Honestly, he needs help to stop peddling lies and to deliberately rubbish the names of his colleagues and the institution of the National Assembly.
"I have seen that this man has an issue with his head and he should see a psychiatrist. Tests should be conducted on him urgently. I don't know what he stands to gain by peddling lies against his colleagues."
The former appropriation chairman had alleged that the allowances collected by members were converted to personal use as against being used to run services in their officers.
By Jibrin's computation, Dogara, an APC member from Bauchi State, who came to the House in 2007, has received N1.5bn to date.
For Lasun, Jibrin alleged that the APC lawmaker from Osun State had collected "about" N800m since he came to the National Assembly in 2011.
Similarly, he accused Gbajabiamila, who came to the House in 2003, of pocketing N1.2bn.
He gave the figures of the other principal officers thus, "Deputy House Leader, Buba, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He received about N1.2bn. Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, has been in the House from 2003 to date. He has received about N1.2bn. Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase, has been in the House from 2011 to date. He has received N700m. Minority, Leader Leo Ogor, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He has received N1.2bn. Deputy Minority Leader, Barde, has been in the House from 2011 to date. He has received N700m. Minority Whip, Chuma, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He had received N800m. And finally, Deputy Minority Whip, Binta has been in the House from 2011 to date. She has received N700m."
By his own account, Jibrin concluded that, "In between these 10 principal officers, the country has pumped about N10bn and still counting."
However, Jibrin also confessed to being a beneficiary of the questionable office maintenance allowance for members of the House of Representatives.
Jibrin admitted collecting N650m and stated that he regretted taking the 'loot'.
He said, "I have records of how I spent every penny that I have taken. In fact, it has been published in a 150-page book.
"However, I have never been comfortable with the money! Thank God the wasteful allowances regime has reached its Waterloo! The country and House will be better off!"
Jibrin's latest allegations that House leaders had pocketed "illegal" N10bn as office allowances between 2003 and this year, was received with shock; and as a result, House leaders have said his sudden change of focus from budget-padding allegations to the allowances of members, might be proof that he (Jibrin) needed medical attention.
On Friday, Jibrin (APC-Kano) had alleged that between 2003 and 2016, the 10 principal officers of the House had "embezzled" over N10bn allocated as "running costs".
The accused officers are the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; Deputy Leader, Buba Jibril; Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase; Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor ;Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde; and Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello-Maigeri.
Jibrin, whom the principal officers said was sacked for "abusing" the 2016 budget, had earlier on July 21, accused Dogara, Lasun, Ado-Doguwa, and Ogor of padding the budget by over N40bn.
But, Ogor, who conveyed the feeling of the leaders, said the rate Jibrin "churns out baseless figures" suggested that his "head should be examined urgently."
Speaking further, Ogor said, "His case is fast getting out of hands. Honestly, he needs help to stop peddling lies and to deliberately rubbish the names of his colleagues and the institution of the National Assembly.
"I have seen that this man has an issue with his head and he should see a psychiatrist. Tests should be conducted on him urgently. I don't know what he stands to gain by peddling lies against his colleagues."
The former appropriation chairman had alleged that the allowances collected by members were converted to personal use as against being used to run services in their officers.
By Jibrin's computation, Dogara, an APC member from Bauchi State, who came to the House in 2007, has received N1.5bn to date.
For Lasun, Jibrin alleged that the APC lawmaker from Osun State had collected "about" N800m since he came to the National Assembly in 2011.
Similarly, he accused Gbajabiamila, who came to the House in 2003, of pocketing N1.2bn.
He gave the figures of the other principal officers thus, "Deputy House Leader, Buba, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He received about N1.2bn. Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, has been in the House from 2003 to date. He has received about N1.2bn. Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase, has been in the House from 2011 to date. He has received N700m. Minority, Leader Leo Ogor, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He has received N1.2bn. Deputy Minority Leader, Barde, has been in the House from 2011 to date. He has received N700m. Minority Whip, Chuma, has been in the House from 2007 to date. He had received N800m. And finally, Deputy Minority Whip, Binta has been in the House from 2011 to date. She has received N700m."
By his own account, Jibrin concluded that, "In between these 10 principal officers, the country has pumped about N10bn and still counting."
However, Jibrin also confessed to being a beneficiary of the questionable office maintenance allowance for members of the House of Representatives.
Jibrin admitted collecting N650m and stated that he regretted taking the 'loot'.
He said, "I have records of how I spent every penny that I have taken. In fact, it has been published in a 150-page book.
"However, I have never been comfortable with the money! Thank God the wasteful allowances regime has reached its Waterloo! The country and House will be better off!"
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