Letter to Buhari lands Jibrin in more trouble
The suspended former Chairman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, may be in for more trouble over his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The letter accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara and some principal officers of the lower chambers of corruption.
New Telegraph reports that the House is compiling more breaches against the embattled lawmaker and would use that to suspend him till the end of the 8thAssembly.
Jibrin was suspended on September 29, 2016 for 180 legislative days for breach of members’ privileges and misconduct and was also banned from holding any position of responsibility for the remaining period of the 8th Assembly.
His suspension was sequel to the adoption of a report of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which found him guilty of breaching the privileges of members by levelling allegations of corruption against the speaker and some members of the House and declaring that there was “institutional corruption in the House” The Kano-born lawmaker, who has relocated to the United Kingdom on self-exile, had last Friday written to Buhari, giving him graphic details of the budget padding and other corrupt practices existing in the House.
But sources within the leadership of the House disclosed that Jibrin’s constant smearing of the image of the speaker and indeed the entire House even after he was suspended would not be taken likely.
The sources said as a result, the leadership has commenced compilation of all his “breaches”, while on suspension and would use that to suspend him indefinitely when he resumes from the current suspension. “I can assure you that Jibrin’s business in this 8th House is over.
The House is not taken his misbehaviour low and he risks being suspended for the remaining part of the session. “By the way, let me inform you that we are already compiling all the breaches he has been committing while on suspension and he will be confronted with it when he returns.
“So, let him not be under any illusion that because he is on suspension, he can take the House to the cleaners and go scot free. The House of Representatives is an institution and no one individual will be allowed to destroy this institution.
The House is bigger than any of us and we will give him the treatment he deserves,” the source stated.
When contacted to comment on the implications of the letter written to President Buhari by Jibrin, the chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai described it as “inconsequential” Ossai explained that the House had taken its decision on the issue of budget padding and since the matter was in court, it cannot comment further on it.
“As far as the House is concerned, the letter, which the former chairman of appropriation committee, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin wrote to Mr. President is inconsequential. We have investigated him and suspended him from the House,” he said.
