• Demands investigation of 13 lawmakers

From James Ojo, Abuja

Sacked chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has formally submitted a petition accusing the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of budget padding.
The lawmaker, accompanied by with aides and plain cloth security personnel, yesterday visited the offices of the Independent Corrupt practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) and office of the Inspector General of Police, in Abuja, to submit the petition. He also held meeting with officials of the government agencies.
Speaking at the EFCC office, Jibrin said his petition fingered 13 lawmakers, who should be investigated. He stated that he had his life had been threatened since he accused principals officer of the House of Representatives of budget padding.
Said he:  “Threat to my life is real. I am not bothered because this is a war against institution and I see it as a battle of my life. That is why I had to include the name of a member who came out to say that there was no corruption in the House, when money which flows to his committee, is probed; we shall see.”
On allegations that he was given N500 million to plot the removal of the Dogara, Jibrin dismissed it as baseless and an attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the rot in the National Assembly.
He said he would fully cooperate with investigators to understand the depth of budget fraud and abuse of office by Dogara and other lawmakers, adding that his petition bordered on corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and public trust, living above means as well as massive movement of funds in the budget.
According to him, he said that all the agencies visited promised that they would look into the merits of the petition and the document submitted to back it up.
Jibrin was relieved of the chairmanship of the House Committee on Appropriations on July 21, after he was accused of betrayal of trust.