Mr. Alhassan
Ado-Doguwa,
Chief Whip of the
House of
Representative,
on Monday said
that Mr.
Abdulmumin
Jibrin would not
escape
punishment for
“bringing the
image of the
legislature into disrepute.”
Former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation,
Mr. Jibrin had accused the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu
Dogara, and three other principal officers of the
House of padding the 2016 budget.
Ado-Doguwa, who called Jibrin a “coward” said, “His
rushing to court is sheer cowardice and an act of
escapism. Jibrin’s legal strategy is to deploy a judicial
instrument to protect himself against possible
sanctions from the House over his baseless and
fictitious allegations to defame and destroy our
integrity in the eyes of the Nigerian public.
“He has also succeeded in subjecting the National
Assembly to disrepute and institutional damage, which
apparently contravened our internal standing rules
and specifically, sections 24 and 33 of the Legislatives
House Power and Privileges Act.
“These clear violations of our internal code of
legislative conduct must attract legislative sanctions
against Jibrin. Nigerians should know that the
statements and pronouncements made by Jibrin were
mere misrepresentation of facts.
“Having realised that he is already consumed, he is
now resorting to the court options, in which I believe he
will lose our as well.”
The chief whip however threatened to sue Jibrin in his
personal capacity after the House would have taken a
position on him.
Jibrin in a statement said: “I heared on good
authority that a close associate of Dogara, who is the
Chief Executive of a well-known Federal Government
agency, has been approaching members with offer of
money to support the Speaker.”
He also wrote the President Advisory Committee on
Anti-Corruption on Monday “requesting an
appointment to make a detailed presentation on all
the allegations that constitute Dogara-gate”, added
that in the coming days, he would comprehensively
brief the diplomatic community as well.
“I have commenced briefing the diplomatic community
and will in the next few days provide a comprehensive
briefing to the British High Commission and the
American, French and German embassies.
“The utterances of Speaker Dogara in the last few
days, like his public pronouncement that padding is
not an offence, have clearly confirmed my innocence.
“I have, therefore, petitioned the Public Complaints
Commission and the National Human Rights
Commission to enforce and protect my fundamental
human rights,” he said.
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