Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin is really playing hard ball in his fight against the budget padding allegations he made.The former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, said that he will not appear before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges except if the hearing will be public.
This is contained in a statement he issued on Wednesday after the House resolved to investigate him over his allegations against four principal officers of padding of Nigeria budget 2016.
Jibrin said that referring the matter to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges was a plot to dilute the ongoing external investigation by anti-graft agencies.
“The grand plan is to dilute the ongoing external investigation by the police and EFCC and use the Ethics Committee for a soft landing. I have said repeatedly, I stand by my allegations and will continue this struggle to expose the Nigeria 2016 budget fraud and corruption in the house even if I am alone,’’ he said.
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“I completely disagree with this approach because it will mean that the speaker is superintending over his investigation and that clearly makes him a judge in his own case.
“The allegations I raised are too grievous to be reduced to such process open to manipulation and teleguiding.
“I will, therefore, continue to cooperate with the anti-graft agencies which are already doing investigation on the matter and will also proceed to build a massive coalition with Civil Society Organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians.
“This is to ensure that this matter is not swept under the carpet.
“Since I can substantiate the allegations I raised with cogency, I will take up the opportunity provided by the Ethics Committee to state my case under the condition that the hearing will be public.
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“This is the only way that I can have the comfort and confidence that the proceedings, the investigations and the outcome will not be manipulated or compromised.
“I am ready to appear before the committee even today if the proceedings will be public,’’ he said.