Budget Padding Scandal: Jibrin To Appear Before Sagay’s Anti-Corruption Panel Today

Abdulmumin-JibrinThe Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption has invited a former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abulmumin Jibrin, over the unfolding budget padding scandal.

Mr. Jibrin, who opened a can of worms on the budgeting process in the House following his removal last month as chair of the appropriation committee, had written to security and anti-corruption agencies, including the PACAC, calling for a probe of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and some other lawmakers.

According to Jibrin, the Speaker and three other principal officers ‘padded’ the 2016 budget with fictitious projects worth over N40billion.

Mr. Dogara and his co-accused denied the allegations leveled against them.

Following his letter, the PACAC invited the lawmaker to appear before the anti-corruption panel at its Meeting Room, which is situated on the 1st Floor, Phase I, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Building, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on Wednesday, August 24, 2016. Time: 11:00 a.m.

Bolaji Owasanoye, the executive secretary of PACAC, who signed the letter on behalf of the committee, said Mr. Jibrin had “forwarded a petition and requested” an appointment.

The PACAC is a committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to advise his government on the prosecution of the war against corruption and the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.