The unease in the the National Assembly, over the 2016 budget padding, took a different turn on Wednesday, August 3, as former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, accused the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, of bribing House Members for support.
The Lawmaker, made the allegation in a statement issued to journalists, saying members of the House of Representatives, have been bribed to sign a vote of confidence for the Speaker and three other accused principal officers.
Jibrin, who accused Dogara of padding the 2016 budget, alleged that the sum of $25, 000 was given to members, for them to sign a register, opened at the Speaker’s Asokoro guest house.
He said: “This disgraceful act is coordinated by Hon. Zakari Mohammed, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba and DCOS to Mr Speaker, Hon. CID Maduabum.“It is a shame that Mr. Speaker has not responded to any of the allegations raised against him, but has resorted to look for fraudulent cover“My stand is that the corrupt Speaker, Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa and Ogor, must listen to Nigerians, reconvene the House immediately, and step aside.
“Investigation by anti-graft agencies is already on, and I pledge to support the investigation and prosecution of these corrupt public officers,” he said.
However, in a swift reaction to the allegation, one of the Lawmakers, accused of distributing the money, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, in a tweet, quickly debunked the allegation.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to yet another tweet by the former Chairman Appropriation Committee, Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin, saying that I and others were distributing $25,000 to each member of the House, to generate signatures for Speaker Dogara’s vote of confidence.“I want to state that the accusation is not only untrue, but it is another tales by moonlight to hoodwink Nigerians to malign my image.“Fellow countrymen, please disregard this cheap blackmail aimed at playing to the gallery, I challenge Mr. Jibrin to name at least 10 members, or less who benefited from the bribe.“My advice to Mr. Jibrin is that he should stop the mudslinging of my person, and concentrate on licking his self-inflicted wounds”.
Meanwhile, a House of Representatives Member, representing Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency, Sani Bello, has been reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
The Police in Katsina, who confirm the kidnap, said Bello, along side a yet to be identified aide, were snatched at a Goburawa village of Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State.
However, the where about of the Lawmaker and his aide, remain unknown as at press time.
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