A United Kingdom-based newspaper, the African Voice, has honoured Abdulmumin Jibrin, the suspended former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on appropriation, with the African Voice Leadership in Legislative Governance Award by African Voice.
Jibrin was recognized for his commitment to legislative duties and fight against corrupt.
Publisher and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Mike Abiola, said the award seeks to appreciate individuals who have shown dedication to developing their countries.
“The African Voice Leadership in Governance Awards recognises African leaders who have shown dedication to developing their state/countries, by demonstrating exemplary leadership,” Abiola said in a statement.
“The attention of the international community has been drawn to your commitment to the people of Nigeria and Kano state in particular. Your effort in helping to eradicate corruption is commendable,” he added.
The 20th edition of the Awards Investiture ceremony took place in London on November 5 and was attended by foreign and commonwealth officials, African diplomats in the UK, British politicians, members of parliament and influential business leaders.
Accepting the award, Jibrin said it was a huge morale booster for him.
He said: “Thank you, African Voice Newspaper for this award. The award is a huge morale booster because it is coming at a very difficult and challenging period.
“It’s a period I had to leave my post as appropriations chairman of the house of representatives, suspended through subterranean means by Speaker Yakubu Dogara and received several threats to my life by the highly placed public officials I accused of corruption.
Jibrin maintained that the only crime for which he was removed as committee head and subsequently suspended was because he disagreed “with some corrupt leaders of the house including the Speaker over the 2016 budget fraud and insisting that the right thing must be done.”
He reiterated that “Despite the difficulties I am going through, I will never be cowed into silence. I assure you I will never retreat from this worthy line of action.
“I shall remain committed to the fight against corruption in the House of Representatives and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
The Kano State lawmaker dedicated the award to the “millions of Nigerians home and abroad who are suffering today because of the massive theft of our common wealth, budget fraud and monumental corruption in the house of representatives which assumed an unprecedented dimension under the leadership of speaker Yakubu Dogara.”