Budget Padding: EFCC Grills Jibrin Over Allegations Against Dogara, 3 Others

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, August 10th, 2016

By Abdul Gaffar Bello

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The raging budget padding sagaTuesday took another dimension as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited and grilled the whistle blower – former Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. AbdulMumuni Jibrin.

Jibrin was questioned by the EFCC operatives for about eight hours.

The Kano Lawmaker who was sacked about four weeks ago by the Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara was invited to defend the heavy allegations of padding against the Speaker, his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor and Chief House Whip.

The four according to Jibrin arbitrarily inflated the House budget to the tune of N40 Billion.

It would be recalled that the whistle blower has earlier been invited by the Police for questioning on the allegation.

The ruling APC waded into the matter last week by inviting separately, both Speaker Dogara and Jibrin to narrate their side of story.

Dogara also had President Muhammadu Buhari audience on the saga last Friday at the Presidential Villa. It was after the meeting he appeared to be mocking the allegation when he told journalists that he did not know the meaning of padding and claimed padding was not in the Nigerian constitution.

He however reversed himself when he countered that the allegation was baseless.