Left to Right: Dogara and JibrinA Nigerian-anti corruption group, the Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development (AIED), on Monday, described as “despicable and a rape on the fight against corruption” the recent directive from the ruling All Progressive Congress against Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin barring him from making further public communication on the corruption issues currently ravaging the house.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s Director of Communication, Comrade O’seun John, the group said it “frowned at the open endorsement of sharp practices and padding that have encapsulated the House of Representatives”.
“It is unfortunate that at a time when the confidence reposed on this administration by electorates is winding down and hope becoming elusive the ruling party decided to further insult the sensibility of Nigerians and clampdown on our right to information and accountability. It is notorious that the document passed and signed into law as the 2016 budget was not tailored to the yearning of the masses but the greed and selfishness of public officers who have been entrusted with a sacred duty to represent the people at the various spheres of government. ” the statement read.
“For a party that claims to be progressive in every sense of it, good conscience mandates such party not just to take steps into ensuring the saboteurs against the administration are brought to justice but make example of every member of the party involved in the treasonable act by expelling them from the party”.
Mr. Jibrin came to the limelight in July when he resigned as House Committee on Appropriation and accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three others of attempting to pad the 2016 budget.
Padding the budget in Nigeria remain a very confusing expression, with many saying it is inflating the budget, duplicating projects covered by the budget or hiding money in the budget that is normally shared between government officials and lawmakers.
Since he made the allegations, the media in Nigeria has been abuzz with more sordid tales being released to the media. Both Mr. Jibrin and Mr. Dogara are all members of the All Progressives Congress and the party has tried to salvage a situation that kept on metastasising.