TheCable

The appropriations committee of the federal house of representatives has said that the actions of Jibrin Abdulmumin, former chairman, do not reflect the position of the committee.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Chris Azubogu, deputy chairman of the committee, said the sacked chairman of the committee single-handedly worked on the budget at an undisclosed location for three weeks.

According to him, he had allotted all decisions of the committee to himself without conferring with members.

“As members of the committee on appropriation, we want to state categorically clear that the ousted chairman’s action does not in any way reflect the position of the committee, ” Azubogu said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that a comprehensive collation of the reports of the budget from the various standing committees of the house was done by the appropriations committee, which was in the process of deliberation when the ousted chairman unilaterally hi-jacked the entire budget to a hideout with his consultant without the consent of the committee.

“That was the last time the committee saw the budget only for Hon Jibrin Abdulmumin to resurface about three weeks later, with a report purported to have come from the committee.”

He explained that based on Jibrin’s unilateral decisions on behalf of the committee, complaints were made to speaker that he should be removed from his position as chairman.

“In his calm and peaceful manner, Mr. Speaker sought to resolve the matter amicably in the overall interest of the house and the nation,” he added.

“In his usual recalcitrant manner, Hon. Abdulmumin preferred the confrontational approach which irked the members to request for his urgent removal from office. This request was overwhelmingly supported by the entire House.

“In response to this demand by members, Mr. Speaker had no choice than to act accordingly in order to maintain the integrity of the whole house.”

According to him, there “is no offence known to law in Nigeria as budget padding”.

Azubogu said there was no breach in the appropriation process that will warrant any external interference.

Jibrin had accused Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, and three other members of the house leadership, of an attempt to allocate N40 billion to themselves alone.