P
ProfRem
Guest
“Tell me anyway - maybe I can find the truth by comparing the lies.”- Leon Trotsky. The concerns and alarming alarm raised by Hon. Abdulmumin Jubrin, the past chairman, House Committee on Budget and Appropriation, is a welcome development.
The various statements made public by this Honourable regarding the allegations of padding the budget by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers: Hon. Yusuf Lasun, The Deputy Speaker; Hon. Ado Dogwa, and Leo Ogor, who connived with some committee chairmen to change the 2016 budget with about 2,000 items worth 284billion naira, is in fact very scary.
In his interview to Premium Times on 9th August, Hon. Jubrin says the Speaker refused to take action despite his allegations. He went further that he had provided evidence against the Speaker and 3 others, who masterminded the insertion of 40 billion naira into the budget. These set of Honourables, according to Jubrin, have questions to answer on another wasteful 20billion naira, and said they attempted to force him to include another 30billion naira into the budget. Above all, he alleged that the Speaker, Hon. Dogara collects 25million monthly for personal use.
MY ARGUMENTS:
Though this belated revelation of how and who padded the 2016 controversial “Budget Of Chain” sorry “CHANGE” is better late than never, my opinion is that Hon. Abdul Jubrin, has failed to tell Nigerians the truth and his involvement in the whole fraud! Why did he sign the budget in the first place, despite knowing that it was padded?
Secondly, Hon. Jubrin didn't mention how much he placed on the projects he awarded to his own constituency and that of other committee members. Was he, probably, trying to cover up his own records?
Thirdly, Hon. Jubrin failed to include Hon. Gbajabiamila’s name among those who shared the national yam. Does that mean no amount of money was allocated to him or he just decided to overlook, downplay or ignore his own side?
As an appropriation Chairman, Hon. Jubrin released 25million monthly to the Speaker without scrutiny only to begin a campaign of calumny in the media after he had been removed. 'Distinguished' Hon. Jubrin is aware that about 22 Federal directors, who may never earn what he earned in one year throughout their 35 years in service, were punished for the crime they didn't commit, but perpetrated by him and his cronies.
As a man with a clear conscience that he wants Nigerians to believe he is, Hon. Jubrin should have fought for these helpless directors for the harsh and unjust sanctions melted on them when he was pretty sure of their innocence to an offence they never committed.
Until he addresses the issues raised above, (dis)Honourable Jubrin have no moral right to call anyone corrupt, because as it is now, he himself is one of them and can be likened to characters like Salisu Buhari of the Toronto Scandal, The Farouk Lawan of the Subsidy Scandal, and Herman Hembe of the Stock Exchange Scandal. Just like the Yoruba adage "Eni gbe'po l'aja ko lole, eni to sookale gangan l'ole", meaning he who steals the oil from the roof is not the thief but he who aided the stealing by bringing the oil down from the roof is the real thief, Hon. Jubrin is a man of questionable character.
In a sane and democratic society, Jubrin should have been arrested for all these grave errors committed on his part. It is in view of this that I urge the Inspector General Of Police to order the arrest of Hon. Jubrin for signing a padded budget he was aware to contain frivolous and false Information.
The Chairman, House Committee on Ethics should, as a matter of urgency and expediency, look at this unethical behaviour of Hon. Jubrin and sanction him accordingly while Nigerians await the outcome of this matter.
Written by Sheyi Babaeko
Babaeko holds a Masters Degree in Conflict, Development and Security from the University of Leeds, U.K.
The various statements made public by this Honourable regarding the allegations of padding the budget by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers: Hon. Yusuf Lasun, The Deputy Speaker; Hon. Ado Dogwa, and Leo Ogor, who connived with some committee chairmen to change the 2016 budget with about 2,000 items worth 284billion naira, is in fact very scary.
In his interview to Premium Times on 9th August, Hon. Jubrin says the Speaker refused to take action despite his allegations. He went further that he had provided evidence against the Speaker and 3 others, who masterminded the insertion of 40 billion naira into the budget. These set of Honourables, according to Jubrin, have questions to answer on another wasteful 20billion naira, and said they attempted to force him to include another 30billion naira into the budget. Above all, he alleged that the Speaker, Hon. Dogara collects 25million monthly for personal use.
MY ARGUMENTS:
Though this belated revelation of how and who padded the 2016 controversial “Budget Of Chain” sorry “CHANGE” is better late than never, my opinion is that Hon. Abdul Jubrin, has failed to tell Nigerians the truth and his involvement in the whole fraud! Why did he sign the budget in the first place, despite knowing that it was padded?
Secondly, Hon. Jubrin didn't mention how much he placed on the projects he awarded to his own constituency and that of other committee members. Was he, probably, trying to cover up his own records?
Thirdly, Hon. Jubrin failed to include Hon. Gbajabiamila’s name among those who shared the national yam. Does that mean no amount of money was allocated to him or he just decided to overlook, downplay or ignore his own side?
As an appropriation Chairman, Hon. Jubrin released 25million monthly to the Speaker without scrutiny only to begin a campaign of calumny in the media after he had been removed. 'Distinguished' Hon. Jubrin is aware that about 22 Federal directors, who may never earn what he earned in one year throughout their 35 years in service, were punished for the crime they didn't commit, but perpetrated by him and his cronies.
As a man with a clear conscience that he wants Nigerians to believe he is, Hon. Jubrin should have fought for these helpless directors for the harsh and unjust sanctions melted on them when he was pretty sure of their innocence to an offence they never committed.
Until he addresses the issues raised above, (dis)Honourable Jubrin have no moral right to call anyone corrupt, because as it is now, he himself is one of them and can be likened to characters like Salisu Buhari of the Toronto Scandal, The Farouk Lawan of the Subsidy Scandal, and Herman Hembe of the Stock Exchange Scandal. Just like the Yoruba adage "Eni gbe'po l'aja ko lole, eni to sookale gangan l'ole", meaning he who steals the oil from the roof is not the thief but he who aided the stealing by bringing the oil down from the roof is the real thief, Hon. Jubrin is a man of questionable character.
In a sane and democratic society, Jubrin should have been arrested for all these grave errors committed on his part. It is in view of this that I urge the Inspector General Of Police to order the arrest of Hon. Jubrin for signing a padded budget he was aware to contain frivolous and false Information.
The Chairman, House Committee on Ethics should, as a matter of urgency and expediency, look at this unethical behaviour of Hon. Jubrin and sanction him accordingly while Nigerians await the outcome of this matter.
Written by Sheyi Babaeko
Babaeko holds a Masters Degree in Conflict, Development and Security from the University of Leeds, U.K.
