The majority leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, says he has submitted himself to the police for investigation into allegations of budget padding levelled against the leadership of the lower chamber.
In a statement issued on Friday, Gbajabiamila said he was part of those who took the decision to relief Abdulmumin Jibrin of his duty as chairman of the house committee on appropriation.
“I returned from the United States just yesterday after a three-week break. I called the speaker a day before my return to urgently fix a principal officers’ meeting so we could address the several allegations made by Hon Jibrin,” the statement read.
“At the meeting Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun , Chief Whip, Hon Ado Dogwa and Minority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor passionately and vigorously clearly stated their innocence.
“A prepared text was read and we all agreed to sign. For me as the leader of the house, I felt it was important to give them the benefit of doubt which in any case is what our constitution says.
“The decision to relieve Hon Jibrin was indeed a collective decision of which I was a part of.
“However, I gave a caveat before the press release was signed, I made it clear to my colleagues in the leadership that because somehow my name had been sullied in all of this and fake documents and publications had been put out there in traditional and social media, which stated I was also involved in the so-called padding of the budget, that I would need to clear my name and that even though no petition was filed against me by Hon Jibrin and no invitation was extended to me by the police, I would be submitting myself on my own volition to the police for investigation.
“This is important to me as insinuations have been made from many quarters that I along with others was sponsoring Hon Jibrin. I have just this afternoon met with the police authorities for a proper and thorough investigation of my role if any in this whole bizzare episode.”
Jibrin had alleged that Dogara alongside the principal officers of the house made dubious insertions into the 2016 budget.
