House Of Reps, Most Corrupt Arm Of Government – Jibrin

A former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has described the House of Representatives as the most corrupt arm of government in the country.



He said this on Sunday when he reviewed the anti-corruption crusade, which he launched against the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principals of the legislature.

Jubrin said the review marked the 30th day of his removal as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation.

The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lasun Yussuff; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Jibrin, an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kano State, was removed by Dogara on July 20 for allegedly “abusing” the 2016 budget.

“I dare say corruption in the House of Representatives today is more than that of the executive and judiciary combined.

“We shall go on and continue to expose corruption and corrupt persons in the House,” he wrote in a statement.

On July 21, he launched his anti-corruption campaign against the four principal officers, demanding, among others, their resignation.

In his latest statement on Sunday titled, ‘30 Days of Dogara-Gate,’ Jibrin said he would step up his fight to cleanse the legislature of corruption.

He said he expected that Dogara and the three others should have been prosecuted by now, adding that he would explore every available legal means to bring them to justice.

“The truth remains that Dogara, Yussuff, Doguwa, Ogor and others committed monumental fraud in the 2016 Budget, which can be prosecuted under our laws.

“We will explore all legal avenues to ensure that justice is served,” the former chairman said.

As always, Jibrin claimed that no offence had been listed against him other than sacking him.

“During this period (30 days), they have struggled to establish one single allegation against me or a single reason for ‘sacking’ me that can stand the test of truth. Every day, the reason for ‘sacking’ me continues to change,” he added.

Jibrin took a swipe at the judiciary and the executive arms of government, even as he described the House as being more corrupt than the two combined.

Only on Thursday last week, the 10 principal officers of the House signed a joint statement to disown Jibrin.

They said his sacking was a ‘collective decision’ arising from his role in abusing the budget process.

“The decision to relieve the erstwhile Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, of his position was a collective decision of the leadership in response to unrelenting pressure from the overwhelming majority of members who were irked by the former chairman’s gross abuse of the budget process,” the principal officers stated.

Those who signed the joint statement were Dogara, Yussuff, Ado-Doguwa, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Leader, Buba Jibril; Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase; Ogor; Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde; and Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello-Maigeri.

But, on Friday, Jibrin dismissed the principal officers, alleging that they came under pressure from Dogara to disown him.

When contacted on Sunday, the Speaker’s Office said it no longer found it necessary to respond to Jibrin’s statements.

The Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Speaker, Mr. Turaki Hassan, told The PUNCH that he office had made sufficient responses to Jibrin’s allegations.


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