When Hon Abdulmumuni Jibrin was relieved of his position as chairman
of the appropriation committee of the House of Representatives and he
took up the role of a whistle-blower, he must have assumed he would get
the backing of an administration that promised to fight corruption.
Before taking office on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof Yemi Osinbajo repeatedly emphasised their determination to fight corruption even if it reared its head within their government or party.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) with its share of questionable politicians also promised to fully support Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. But recent events indicate that both the president and his party do not intend to keep their promises.
Jibrin has been in a war of words with Speaker Yakubu Dogara for a few months over allegations that Dogara and some other leaders of the House were involved in fraudulent insertion of projects into the 2016 budget for personal benefit.
The allegations of budget padding have not received the kind of attention one would have expected from a government and a party desirous of fighting corruption. Half-hearted probes by the police and a call on the parties by the APC to sheathe their swords are surely not the measures expected to have been taken.
This week, one of the parties to the controversy, Jibrin was suspended for 180 legislative days by the House, a decision clearly influenced by the other party, Dogara. But there has been no reaction by both the presidency and the APC.
On Thursday, a combined team of security operatives comprising
policemen and members of the Sergeant-at-Arms (the internal security arm
of the National Assembly), stormed the embattled lawmaker’s office at
2.07pm and left at about 3.10pm.
Jibrin was absent from the office but the security officials went away with some documents according to the Punch. The lawmaker in reacting to the action and the earlier decision to suspend him has promised to keep on the fight to expose the corruption in the National Assembly.
What however baffles many Nigerians is that despite the weighty allegations that have been made, the APC has refused to support an independent probe and has rather watched as the whistle-blower is being hounded.
Many agree that one of the many implications of the aloofness of the APC and the presidency to Jibrin’s suspension and police ransacking his office is the disincentive it serves to any other public official intending to become a whistle-blower on corrupt activities.
It is hoped that the appropriate parties do the needful and ensure a
fair treatment for all parties involved in the budget padding scandal
which includes a proper investigation and prosecution of all parties
involved and not just Jibrin.
Before taking office on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof Yemi Osinbajo repeatedly emphasised their determination to fight corruption even if it reared its head within their government or party.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) with its share of questionable politicians also promised to fully support Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign. But recent events indicate that both the president and his party do not intend to keep their promises.
Jibrin has been in a war of words with Speaker Yakubu Dogara for a few months over allegations that Dogara and some other leaders of the House were involved in fraudulent insertion of projects into the 2016 budget for personal benefit.
The allegations of budget padding have not received the kind of attention one would have expected from a government and a party desirous of fighting corruption. Half-hearted probes by the police and a call on the parties by the APC to sheathe their swords are surely not the measures expected to have been taken.
This week, one of the parties to the controversy, Jibrin was suspended for 180 legislative days by the House, a decision clearly influenced by the other party, Dogara. But there has been no reaction by both the presidency and the APC.
Jibrin was absent from the office but the security officials went away with some documents according to the Punch. The lawmaker in reacting to the action and the earlier decision to suspend him has promised to keep on the fight to expose the corruption in the National Assembly.
What however baffles many Nigerians is that despite the weighty allegations that have been made, the APC has refused to support an independent probe and has rather watched as the whistle-blower is being hounded.
Many agree that one of the many implications of the aloofness of the APC and the presidency to Jibrin’s suspension and police ransacking his office is the disincentive it serves to any other public official intending to become a whistle-blower on corrupt activities.
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