TheCable

Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman house of representatives committee on appropriations, says Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, and the four other principal officers he accused of padding the 2016 budget have done their “worst” by suspending him but it has not changed the allegations.

Earlier, Jibrin was suspended after the house approved the recommendations of the ethics and privileges committee, which investigated Jibrin over breach of lawmakers’ privileges.

But speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Jibrin, in reaction to the suspension, said the process that led to his suspension was flawed.

While describing it as “nonsense”, he said the suspension only freed him up to concentrate on pursuing his struggle to rid the house of corruption.

“But what is very important also is that now they have done their worst, they have suspended me, what has it changed? Has it changed the fact that the speaker conspired with other principal officers to divert N40 billion out of N100 billion meant for constituency projects,” Jibrin said.

“Has it changed the fact that he inserted fraudulent projects worth 20 billion? Has it changed the fact that he diverted multi-million naira project to his personal farm? Has it changed the fact that he tried to use the running cost — money meant for running the offices of members — for a questionable mortgage? Has it changed the fact that he diverted FGN project to his farm.

“The most important thing is that Nigerians saw the entire process, how the motion was passed and what transpired at the level of the ethics committee and entirely the process was flawed and for me it’s a non-issue and complete nonsense and it is not going to stand anywhere in the world.

“As you are aware the matter is a subject of litigation. I have instructed my lawyer, Femi Falana SAN to file charges of contempt against Speaker Dogara and of course the house of representatives and I’m sure the matter will move over to the judiciary and decision will be taken. I’m pretty sure it will be in my favour.

“At this point, I must say they freed me up to concentrate on the matter in court; I know the suspension is not going to stand. Secondly, I’m going into a massive alliance with civil society groups, NGOs and well-meaning Nigerian to continue to press ahead.

“I have said it, not once, not twice that it is not going to be easy. I’m not worried about myself but I am more worried about people around me.

“I think this is a big issue; I’m fighting a group of mafia, and I know what they can do. The battle I’m fighting is what Nigerians have always wanted to do in the last 16 years when democracy came to bare, to open the house of representatives and I’m determined to ensure that justice is served on Speaker Dogara and the corrupt body of principal officers and beyond that, reforms are implemented so we can have a house that Nigerians will be proud of.”