...Says Buhari Would Ban Them From Aso Rock Soon
Former chairman of the House of Representatives committee on
Appropriation, Abdulmumuni Jibrin has said President Muhammadu Buhari will
ban Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun and two others from
visiting the presidential villa if he the extent of corruption by them
were fully exposed.
In a blistering statement released on Monday entitled”the Corrupt Speaker
Yakubu Dogara and his 3-man cabal,” Jibrin raised a series of allegations
against the principal officers including Minority Leader, Leo Ogor and
Chief Whip, Garba Alhassan.
Jibrin said his allegations should be investigated and the extent of
corruption ascertained before the House undertakes to probe the budget
padding saga he triggered last week.
The statement reads: “Honourable colleagues and fellow Nigerians, I wish
to make further revelations.
“Speaker Yakubu Dogara and his senior cabal namely Deputy Speaker Lasun,
Whip Doguwa and Minority leader Ogor has promoted corruption so badly in
the House that if President Muhammadu Buhari with his disdain for
corruption and corrupt people have the slightest idea, he will ban the
QUARTET permanently from the Villa before they eventually allow for proper
and unbiased investigation by the House.
“Mr Speaker and Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun diverted millions of naira all
in the name of paying for guest houses and official residence. The issue
became so messy that the Deputy Speaker openly accused Hon Herma Hembe of
short changing them of millions of naira in the deal to the shock of many
Hon Members.
“Speaker Yakubu Dogara frequently abuse his office amounting to conflict
of interest by soliciting for inappropriate favours from agencies and
Multinational companies. He forced an agency to grant loans and a
construction company blackmailed to do some work at his Asokoro ‘plot’
“Speaker Yakubu Dogara has carefully designed a scheme to scam Hon Members
through deduction from their salaries certain amount of money for a so
called mortgage arrangements to build houses for members. He has been
applying every under hand tactics to ensure Members agree to the deal.
“Speaker Yakubu Dogara has consistently refused members access to the
financial dealings and internal budget of the House. He runs the financial
management of the House like a cult aided and abated by the Chairman House
services Hon Babanlle Ila. It is no longer news that all over the House,
Hon Members are aware of the monumental fraud perpetrated by Speaker
Yakubu Dogara in this regard.
“We are even told that this is a child’s play compared to the mess and
allegations of money laundering he left behind as Chairman house services
in both the 6th and 7th Assembly. The EFCC should have something to start
working with in respect to his tenure as Chairman House services if they
properly dust their files.
“I am therefore once again calling on Hon Colleagues and well meaning
Nigerians to prevail on Speaker Yakubu Dogara and his 3 other cohorts to
put the interest of country first and allow the House to conduct a
thorough investigation into the allegations on them.
“This is just the tip of an ice bag. I will make further revelations in
due course.”
But in a swift reaction, spokesman to Speaker, Turaki Hassan, said
Jibrin’s allegations are a tissue of lies that should be dismissed.
“These are all lies and desperate attempts of a drowning man to clutch
unto anything having found that all his frivolous allegations do not
disclose any element of corruption or wrongdoing against Mr. Speaker,” a
terse rejoinder said.