Alleged Budget Padding and Fate of Nigeria's Legislature

ALLEGED BUDGET PADDING AND FATE OF NIGERIA’S LEGISLATURE

      The last time I checked, the heat was really on in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS), unwholesome to the polity though. The ongoing melodrama isn’t unconnected to what recently transpired in the said chamber. It would be called that penultimate month, precisely on Wednesday 20^th July 2016, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation in the person of Mr. Abdulmunin Jibrin was outrightly removed by the Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara following a misunderstanding that emanated between the duo who are both members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

     The aforementioned misunderstanding that led to an altercation was occasioned by a claim made by the ousted officer, Mr. Jibrin that the Speaker – Mr. Dogara and three other principal lawmakers allocated projects worth about #40 billion in the just approved 2016 budget, to themselves, out of the #100 billion earmarked for the constituency projects of all lawmakers. It’s worth noting that soonest after his removal, on Friday 22^nd July 2016 to be precise, the other nine legislators that constitute the appropriation committee headed for the press to refute the accusation towards attesting their unalloyed support for the accused speaker.

     The rebuttal read thus, ‘…The Honourable Speaker is a decent man, a man of high intellect, integrity and character, who cannot descend to the gutter where Hon Abdulmunin Jibrin holds sway.’ The press briefing went further to state that the Speaker, Mr. Dogara didn’t need to do so considering that all the honourable members were adults who could hold their own positions and could as well defend themselves without any fear or favour.

     Reacting to the press statement, the Kano legislator Mr. Jibrin, particularly representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the NASS, said vocally that the nine lawmakers who addressed the press conference to throw their unflinching support behind the speaker in the alleged budget padding scandal were induced with about $20 thousand each. According to him, the lawmakers in question agreed to participate in such a ‘dishonourable’ press outing having ‘shamelessly’ collected the money that was allegedly distributed among them two days earlier. Similarly, on Wednesday 3^rd August 2016, Mr. Jibrin further allegedly disclosed that the embattled speaker bribed some Honourable members with $25 thousand each to sign Vote of Confidence on him.

      The Speaker of the House, Mr. Dogara had in a statement gave the purported whistle-blower a seven-day ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to him and retract all allegations made against him or face legal action. The latter, however, described the ‘legal action’ threat as ‘quite predicable’, thereby insisted that he would not and would never apologize to the speaker as demanded, stating that his allegation held waters. The unperturbed Mr. Jibrin who has called for the immediate resignation of the speaker, also disclosed that his lawyers had already approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

       In his petition against Speaker Dogara among three others including the Deputy Speaker – Mr. Yusuf Lasun, the Chief Whip – Mr. Alhassan Doguwa, and the Minority Leader – Mr. Leo Ogor coupled with the documents to backup the allegations tendered to the EFCC upon request, Mr. Jibrin who expressed readiness to help fight corruption in the NASS, called for security of the appropriation office as well as his office at the NASS where more indicting documents could be found. In view of this, the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) stormed the NASS on Saturday 30^th July 2016 to seal the secretariat of the Appropriation Committee and therein took possession of all workstations inside it. The outing equally led to the closure of Mr. Jibrin’s office.

      At the moment, any concerned Nigerian or well-meaning individual ought to be concerned about the way forward. The way forward remains ensuring that the ongoing investigation by the EFCC and other petitioned authorities is concluded as soon as possible toward enabling the agencies to head for a court of competent jurisdiction. Such manner of accusation, which involves a criminal case, cannot be possibly swept under the carpet; hence, the accused persons/officers deserve to be duly prosecuted in earnest in order to free the Nigerian polity from this uncalled state of quagmire.

      If we must tell ourselves the gospel truth, we would boldly attest to the fact that the lingering allegations cum counter-allegations accompanied by rebuttals, which have generated unwonted and bilious tantrums, aren’t in any way healthy to the Nigerian state as well as the awaited governance. The lingering uproar, which isn’t unusual to the Nigeria’s overall legislature, has made teeming Nigerians in various quarters to insinuate that the country’s legislative arm is under a spell. Of course, for quite some time now, there’s no day that comes into limelight that we wouldn’t hear of or witness a pandemonium coming from a certain state/federal legislative chamber; if it isn’t impeachment saga, it would be alleged sexual abuse or whatever.

      It’s deeply baffling and mind-boggling that barely few weeks after the leadership of the NASS’ Red Chamber was accused of forgery over the Senate Standing Rules, its counterpart in the Green Chamber refused to convince the electorate that the highly respected legislators are in the NASS to protect our national interest. This, no doubt, portrays a great danger to the intensely anticipated change. The scenario is just obviously not unlike a situation where someone who is ostensibly fighting the devil with you turns out to be the devil.

      Indeed, as it stands, nobody knows what the fate of the Nigeria’s legislature in its entirety entails. This significantly implies that, if adequate measure isn’t taken, the country’s well-being is liable to be doomed, considering that the legislature of any existing nation remains her backbone. To this end, the various relevant law enforcement agencies must act drastically with a sole view to salvaging us from this tainted omen.

      Right now, several rights groups and what have you, are calling for Mr. Speaker’s resignation. Since it’s apparent that the embattled speaker can only resign over his dead body, though he can be mandated to step down while the ongoing investigations last, there’s no gain reiterating that the judiciary is seen as the country’s messiah at this critical point. But, come to think of it; can we wholeheartedly entrust this task to the said arm, especially as we are already earnestly and desirously awaiting several verdicts, which seem not forthcoming, from its various juries? Think about it!  

 Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-

Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research

& Career Development - Owerri

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