Budget Scandal: APC Embarrassed, Bars All Parties from Public Statements

Abdulmumin: C’tee chairmen moved money into MDA budgets
Maduabum denies sharing $25,000 to lawmakers
Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the federal government are being thoroughly embarrassed by the budget padding scandal raging in the House of Representatives, with the public face off between the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and the erstwhile Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, THISDAY has learnt.

The party, in its bid to manage the crises, has therefore barred all parties involved, from making any public statement on the matter to any media channel.
The House has been embroiled in crises following the removal of Abdulmumin by Dogara, over mismanagement of the 2016 budget.

Abdulmumin, employing a scorched earth policy after his ouster, accused Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Sulaimon Lasun, Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor of allocating N40 billion to themselves out of the N100 billion appropriated for the National Assembly, and making “senseless’ insertions into the 2016 budget.”

He also petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police, demanding the arrest and prosecution of the speaker, three principal officers, and 11 committee chairmen for corruption and abuse of office.

Sources told THISDAY that the party is unhappy that the anti-corruption image it has been trying hard to project, has been shattered with the warring factions airing dirty laundry.
“Its like they have been trying to outdo each other on who can make the most malicious allegations,” an APC chieftain said.

The chieftain, who asked not to be named, added that the party executive has seemingly stood aloof in the crises, with President Muhammadu Buhari worried that the party cannot shake off the stereotype of politicians as being corrupt and self serving.

“Yes, the Senate President is standing trial for a corruption case, but it is for a matter before he joined the party. Yes, we have been accuse doc secret recruitments and such, but nothing has been as serious as this. The parties in the conflict making direct allegations of corruption at each other,” the chieftain said.

“The president is really concerned that Nigerians regard the APC as being for change, but these allegations and counter-allegations have messed things up for us. Also it is necessary for the party to present a united front, and not be fighting among ourselves,” he said.

He added that the party is exploring the possibility of resolving the crises using its internal mechanisms.
“We have written formally to the Speaker, and Jibrin, to stop talking to the media, whether social media or mainstream. At the meeting on Tuesday, we had appealed to them to stop talking to the press, but they continued. Now we have written to them formally, to disregard the directive would be to disobey the party and there are consequences for that,” he added.

The letter, THISDAY gathered, was sent to Dogara and Abdulmumin yesterday and signed by Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu.
“The party is looking into all the issues raised by both parties, and are looking towards finding a possible solution,” he told THISDAY.

Meanwhile, Abdulmumin in his petition to the EFCC, had accused the 11 committee chairmen of moving massive amounts of money into the budgets of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which they oversight.
A copy of the petition prepared by his lawyers and obtained by THISDAY,  accused the Chairman of the Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Herma Hembe, of ‘living above his means’ and being ‘adept at misappropriation.’

Others listed in the petition are Chairman, Committee on Basic Education, Hon. Zakari Mohammed and Chairman, Committee on Health Services, Hon. Chike Okafor, Chairman Committee on Power, Hon. Dan Asuquo, Chairman, Committee on Interior, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Chairman, Committee on Police Affairs, Hon. Haliru Jika,  Chairman, Committee on House Services, Hon. Babanle Ila and Chairman, Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Uzoma Nkem Abonta.

“We humbly petition your office to invetsigate, arrest and prosecute the persons involved in corrupt and fraudulent practices at the House of Representatives. We shall be failing in our duties and responsibilities as patriotic citizens if we do not expose corruption, even if it is at the highest levels,” it read.
Some of the Chairmen including Mohammed and Jagaba, had denied any wrong doing and expressed openness to any investigations.

Meanwhile, Abdulmumin on his twitter handle early yesterday, urged Nigerians to disregard a circulated WhatsApp chat screenshot featuring him and the publisher of online medium, Sahara Reporters, where he had instructed the medium to pass of his, Abdulmumuni’s writings, as those of Dogara.

The chat also portrayed the lawmaker as admitting he helped Hon. Aminu Jaji (Chairman, Committee on National Intelligence) increase the budget of the Department of State Services (DSS) from N5 billion to N10 billion, and would therefore be protected.
This, he allegedly, said in response to enquiries from the medium on whether the publication of documents, would not affect him.

“As you are aware, the party and indeed the government have not been happy over recent developments in the House of Representatives over the issue of the 2016 budget. We found it embarrassing to have to deal with another new phenomenon you tagged ‘budget padding’.

“However, I write to thank you for your cooperation in honouring our intervention and your readiness to afford the party the chance to handle the House budget padding crisis.

“Arising from the series of meetings we held with you over the subject matter, the National Working Committee had decided to request you to henceforth avoid issuing public statement on this matter. This however includes statements through the social media or other means of transmitting an opinion on the matter to the public, as the party is now looking into it towards finding possible solution.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Hon. C.I.D Maduabum, has refuted the allegations that he was involved in the distribution of $25,000 each to lawmakers to induce them to sign a register for a vote-of-confidence on Dogara.

Abdulmumin had in a series of tweets on Wednesday alleged that Maduabum, along with the Chairman of the Committee on Basic Education, Mohammed and his Interior counterpart, Jagaba, were in charge of the distribution.

Maduabum in a statement said the allegation existed in Abdulmumin’s imagination, saying that was desperately clutching at every straw in his deception of the public.
The statement reads in full: “The disgraced Abdulmumin has once again accused me of being involved in coordinating the distribution of $25,000 to various members in the House zonal caucuses  in order to support Yakubu.

“It is true that he loves mentioning my name, but is he so unintelligent not to notice a pattern. Abonta disagrees with him on national television, he immediately adds his name in a petition to EFCC; Jagaba grants an interview against him, he adds his name in the charge sheet which he carries about. The Appropriations Committee members disown him, he immediately alleges inducement of $20,000; the whole House rises against him, then immediately everyone is given $25,000 each.

“Can he not see that no one needs to be induced when he is on a one man riot squad to denigrate all members of the House and pull down the institution of the National Assembly?
“Once again, let me re-state that Yakubu did not give me or anyone any money to give to any member of the House. This charge, as usual, exists in the demented and diseased imagination of the drowning Abdulmumin who is desperately grasping at every straw in his deception, campaign of calumny, demagoguery and propaganda which he has unleashed on innocent public officers whose sole offence is that they fatally misjudged  Abdulmumin’s instability of character and unsuitability to hold public office?

“Let me again remind him that Dogara is a God-fearing man, a charismatic leader, a progressive democrat, an incorruptible Nigerian, that cannot be dented by his tissue of lies, fables and penchant for fictional accusations and idiocy. What Abdulmumin is saying is that billions of naira is being shared to members to pursue an inconsequential fellow? What an absurdity from a celebrated con man and pathological liar?
“I wish to state that since this attack is on my personal integrity, I reserve the right to defend myself with all the arsenal at my disposal within the ambit of the law.”

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