Former chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Jibrin on Friday insisted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) must probe the allegation of budget padding he levelled against the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers.
He said that, “This is a defining moment for the House of Representatives. It will never be business as usual”.
To this end, he urged members “to join hands and do the honourable thing by asking Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the three other principal officers to reconvene the House and step down with immediate effect to face prosecution.
According to him, “They have all lost the moral grounds to call themselves presiding and principal officers of the House. The more they cling on to power, the further the image of the House will be battered.”
The statement reads in part: “I wish to inform you that I have officially approached the EFFC and the ICPC to come in and decisively deal with this matter and other corruption cases in the House. Kindly note that the allegations must be externally investigated.
He also questioned the rationale behind his former deputy, Honourable Chris Azibogu and few others’ decosopm to address a press conference where they claimed there was no budget padding.
He wondered why “only 9 out of the 40 appropriation committee members agreed to participate in such a dishonorable press conference after shamelessly collecting $20,000 each distributed to them yesterday at the Speaker’s residence by his Deputy Chief of staff, Hon CID Maduabum.
“My same Deputy Hon Chris Azubogu ( you will remember his history with Hon Hembe in the 7th Assembly) who was used to organize the press conference was clearly on camera almost crying at the press conference where I announced my resignation.”
