The Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, has described a former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, as a coward who deserves severe punishment for “bringing the image of the legislature into disrepute.”
Jibrin had accused the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers of the House of inserting several billions of naira into the 2016 budget.
The embattled lawmaker had also named the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lasun Yussuff; Ado-Doguwa and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.
Reacting to the controversy, the chief whip said Jibrin’s pronouncements were “misrepresentation of facts” to destroy the House and avenge his removal as a committee chairman.
He said, “His rushing to court is sheer cowardice and an act of escapism. Jibrin’s legal strategy is to deploy a judicial instrument to protect himself against possible sanctions from the House over his baseless and fictitious allegations to defame and destroy our integrity in the eyes of the Nigerian public.
“He has also succeeded in subjecting the National Assembly to disrepute and institutional damage, which apparently contravened our internal standing rules and specifically, sections 24 and 33 of the Legislatives Houses Powers and Privileges Act.
“These clear violations of our internal code of legislative conduct must attract legislative sanctions against Jibrin.
“Nigerians should know that the statements and pronouncements made by Jibrin were mere misrepresentation of facts.
“Having realised that he is already consumed, he is now resorting to the court options, (in)which I believe he will lose out as well.”
The chief whip also threatened to sue Jibrin in his personal capacity after the House would have taken a position on him.
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