
The embattled former chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has said that he would not appear before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges except it’s hearing is public, adding that he does not have assurances of a fair hearing.
Jibrin said in a letter written to the committee he was shocked that he was being probed for a “so called breach of privilege of members and misconduct by me” and not to probe whether the allegations he made against the speaker was true or not.
He said going by the actions of the committee members, it was clear that they were already one-sided and would not be fair to him
He stated: “Mr. Chairman, what further deepens my pessimism is the fact that in your letter, you indicated that you were inviting me to appear before your committee on Monday 26th September, 2016, but surprisingly you announced to the press that I shunned your invitation.
“This is clear indication that the outcome of your “investigation” is already predetermined.
“You also did not find it worthy to investigate the grievous allegations I made against Mr Speaker and few others or even why the Speaker is yet to address all the allegations I made against him and submit himself to the security and anti-graft agencies to clear his name two months after I submitted my petitions.”
In his letter, he told the committee members they must make a choice to either stand with Speaker Yakubu Dogara or stand with Nigerians.
“A stand with Dogara is a stand with fraud and corruption. I stand with Nigerians,” he said.
Part of the letter he wrote to the committee reads: “You will recall that when you called me on 21st, you tried to assuage my doubts and encouraged me to appear.
“I told you clearly I will appear under the condition that the proceedings will be public with access given to both print and electronic media, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations, Nigerian Labour Congress, Nigerian Bar Association, Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Association of Nigerian Students and the general public.
“I made it clear to you that it is under such arrangement that I will feel comfortable that the investigation, proceedings and outcome will not be manipulated or compromised.”
Jibrin had accused the Speaker and four other principal officers of corruption with regards to the 2016 budget.
On resumption of the House plenary on Wednesday, Dogara mandated the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate Jibrin, following a motion moved by another lawmaker who said Jibrin’s accusation had brought the entire House to disrepute.
The motion threw the House into a rowdy session with pro-Dogara lawmakers displaying mufflers and caps with the inscription: ‘I Stand with Dogara’.
The Kano state lawmaker maintained that his campaign is to “expose corruption in the House and push for reforms that will clean up the House for the Nigerian people” adding that “there is no going back.”