ABUJA – Following allegation that some members of the House of Representatives are plotting to impeach the Speaker Yakubu Dogara over alleged padding of the 2016 budget, the embattled former Appropriation Committee Chairman, Hon. Abdulmumin Jubrin yesterday said that the Speaker had on Monday begged the Northeast caucus members of the House for forgiveness over his role in the padding of the budget but his request was rejected.
While briefing newsmen shortly after a brief plenary session, Jibrin revealed that lawmakers who were at the meeting told Dogara to beg Nigerians as the 360 members do not represent themselves but Nigerians.
Jibrin said that Dogara requested at the caucus meeting that the issue be investigated internally was not tenable, as the rule of the House stated otherwise, insisting that the Speaker should step down for proper investigation.
He said: “When a grievous allegation of this nature is raised, there is a lay down rules to investigate such issue, it should not be investigated internally. The Speaker should step down for proper investigation. Nobody is hunting him, but he should step down for a committee to do its work and investigate the issue.
“The Speaker begged us that we should forgive him. He also begged for the principal officers. He said that the House should forget what happened in the 2016 budget. But Hon. Sani Zoro told the Speaker that the House will forgive him, but we have to accompany him to beg Nigerians.
“When he was begging you could see the desperation on his face that he does not want to leave the seat. He love the position of Speaker so much.
“My question to him is that did he connive with the principal officers to steal the N40 billion? There are so many frauds in the budget that I did not even know until now. The Speaker took four projects to his farm, including a fielder road.”
Jubrin however stated that he is not bother whether the House suspended him or not, adding, “I am prepare for the worse, I know the risk I am taking. I am on the part of history.”
In reaction to Jibrin’s statement, the spokesperson of the House, Abddulrazak Namdas with 15 members of the Northwest caucus who spoke on behalf of the house debunked Jibrin’s allegations saying that they were all false.
According to Namdas, the essence of the meeting which took place on Monday and was presided over by the Speaker was to deliberate on the way forward to address the current economic recession.
“The Speaker decided to meet with leaders of all caucuses to discuss the way farward on the current recession and the way farward when the house resume.
“The allegation the the speaker begged for forgiveness and members of Northwest caucus passed a vote of no confidence on the chief wipe Ado Doguwa was not in anyway true. That the meeting was done in bad light was not true as well.
“Abdulmumin has made this allegations before, he has not said anything new. For him to allege that the car are meant to bribe members is not true. He has raised issue, so he should allow those people in charge do their job.
“This house has resolutions, we have our process and will commence its work soon. Non of us is above the rule we have set. If Jibrin has issues, let him put up a motion and if he has the numbers then so be it,” Namdas said .
Amed Mustapha (Kano) also speaking said out of 24 lawmakers from Kano, 21 signed vote of confidence on the speaker, adding that in the North East, Gombe state has passed 100 percent vote of confidence on the Speaker while.
“Almost 85 percent of members has passed a vote pf confidence on the Speaker, he said.
Ahmed Safana (Kastina), also speaking said there was no situation that would have warranted the speaker been whisked away as alleged by Jubrin.
