The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that it would look into a petition of alleged padding of the 2016 budget against Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the House, by former Appropriation Committee Chairman of the House, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Mr. Jibrin filed a petition at the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding the prosecution of the Speaker, his deputy, Yussuf Lassun; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, over allegations of budget padding
Acknowledging receipt of the petition, EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said on Sunday that utmost attention would be given to Jibrin’s petition same way that all petitions against alleged financial crimes are getting.
“I understand that a petition has been submitted. Like any other petition, we will look into it”, Mr. Uwujaren said.
Posting on his twitter handle after submitting petitions to the EFCC and the ICPC at the weekend, the former House Appropriation Committee chair said, “We recorded a huge success in our mission to getting the corrupt speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and his cohorts to face prosecution. Our petition to the EFCC and the ICPC against Speaker Dogara, Lasun, Doguwa, Ogor and eight other members, has been dispatched.
SEE: Reps Invite EFCC To Probe Alleged Budget
“The case against them includes corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and public trust, living above means, massive movement of funds in budget. The members are Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor.
“Others include the chairman of the Committee on FCT, Herma Hembe, chairman, Committee on Higher Education, Zakari Mohammed, chairman, House Committee on Health, Chike Okafor, chairman, Power, Dan Asuquo, chairman, Marine Transport, Mohammed Bago, chairman Police, Haliru Jika, chairman, Interior, Jagaba Adams Jagaba and chairman, House Services, Babanle Ila”.
Mr. Jibrin further said he was at the office of the Department of State Services (DSS) to call for the arrest of Mr. Dogara and the others he accused of corruption.
According to him, “This is a defining moment in the struggle to cleanse the House. This is the first time a member will drag 12 of his colleagues to the anti-graft agencies. This has opened a rare opportunity for the anti-corruption agencies to decisively use this as a case study to send a powerful signal.
“I also responded to another show of shame by 9 out of the 40-member Appropriation Committee that addressed the press. They shamelessly allowed themselves to be used after collecting $20,000 each, disbursed by the deputy chief of staff to the Speaker, Hon CID Maduabum. I am confident that the EFCC and the ICPC will effect the arrest of Speaker Dogara and 11 others to commence prosecution in earnest”.
