From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
THOUGH the House of Representatives adjourned on Thursday, July 21 for its annual vacation, there is palpable anxiety among the lawmakers over allegations of budget padding leveled against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers by the ousted chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Sunday Sun has learnt.
Jibrin had Wednesday announced his resignation, saying he takes responsibility for the criticisms over the handling of the 2016. But he turned around the next day to call for the resignation of Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Yussuf Lasun, Majority Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, saying they allocated N40 billion to themselves in the 2016 appropriation.
The House, through the Chairman, House Committee on Media, Abdulrazak Namdas, has described Jibrin’s claims as unfounded. This is as Ogor has dismissed the ex-chairman’s statements as “fabricated”.
Sunday Sun learnt that Jibrin had through his lawyers petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for trying to blackmail him.
The House is divided over the issue. While majority of the lawmakers are supporting the leadership, a few others are demanding investigation into the matter.
Lawmakers who spoke with Sunday Sun said Jubrin could be suspended for misconduct when the House resumes, citing suspension of Hon Dino Melaye (now a senator) and five others under the leadership of Dimeji Bakole over the brawl that occurred during the controversial allegation of graft raised against former Speaker, Patricia Etteh.
According to the new Standing Order, the Speaker can suspend a member for 30 plenary days for failing to obey the presiding officer’s directive. Some lawmakers who did not want their names mentioned in print complained that the new rules give too much power to the Speaker.
Some lawmakers blamed the brewing crisis on the inability of Jubrin to relate with colleagues. “What happened to Jibrin is a fallout of his not being able to manage his relationship with people. I can tell you that there is nothing that he did that other Appropriation Committee chairmen before him haven’t done. He just didn’t know how to handle his relationship with colleagues, especially those leading us”, a lawmaker from the South-South said.
But a ranking member from the Southeast warned the House leadership to thread softly. “The Speaker should have allowed Jibrin to step aside without any controversy. For goodness sake, he (Jibrin) nominated him as Speaker. The House leadership has much more people on its side as we speak. But history has shown that a lot can change in just one week”, he opined.