According to an exclusive report by Premium Times, the sacked former chairman of the Federal House of Representative Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Sunday, released what he said were pictures of one of Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s guest houses, as the budget padding scandal rocking Nigeria’s House of Representatives worsens.
Hon. Jibrin who sent the pictures to the publication on Saturday night, said they depicted Dogara’s guest house located at Vistula Close, along Panama Crescent, in the exquisite Maitama neighbourhood in Abuja.
Jibrin had repeatedly said in his allegations that Dogara allegedly looted funds meant for legislative duties to furnish his guest houses and other apartments being personally used by him.
The charges were part of the similar ones Jibrin had come up with in recent days, following his ouster from the Appropriation Committee’s leadership on allegations that he betrayed the House leadership and other members.
Jibrin denied all the allegations, saying it was Dogara who had been sitting over massive misappropriation of public funds as Speaker.
“Mr. Speaker and Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun diverted millions of naira all in the name of paying for guest houses and official residence. The issue became so messy that the Deputy Speaker openly accused Hon Herma Hembe of short changing them of millions of naira in the deal to the shock of many honourable members,” Jibrin said in a July 25 statement.
Dogara and others named in the alleged fraud denied the allegations.
Jibrin’s whistleblowing had seen the public inundated with House internal documents about how funds were allegedly allocated to lawmakers for ‘constituency’ projects, triggering sweeping investigation into the scandal.
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