NewsI Will Never Apologize - Jibrin Replies Dogara

I Will Never Apologize – Jibrin Replies Dogara

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 27, (THEWILL) – Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin has said he will never apologize to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara over allegations of padded budget 2016.

THEWILL recalls that Jibrin, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Kano had accused Dogara and 3 others of allocating projects worth N40bn to themselves in the 2016 budget padding saga.

Reacting to the accusation, Dogara in a statement issued on Wednesday, gave the former Chairman, House of Representative’s Committee on Appropriation, a seven-day ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to him and retract all allegations made against him or face legal action.

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However, Jibrin, in a series of tweets in reaction to the Speaker’s statements declared: “I will not and will never apologize to a shameless fraud in high office who has glaringly abused public trust like speaker Dogara and 3 others”

Jibrin, through his verified twitter account, @AbdulAbmJ added “I know he will rush to court in order to invoke the house rules that matter in court cannot be heard on the floor” describing the legal action threats by Speaker Dogara as “quite predicable.”

“I have responded to their allegations rather than respond to mine, he is rushing to court. I stand by my allegations and will not withdraw them.

“He failed to realize that the law is not intended to protect corrupt people. It is such a shame.

“I am happy to announce that my lawyers have officially approached the EFCC and the ICPC towards working out a date for me to personally submit my petition against Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leo Ogor.

“I believe once a date is agreed with the anti- corruption agencies, we would have begun the process of making these characters pay for abusing their office.”

His lawyers, Messrs Hammart and Co, Law Bond Solicitors and Doka Chambers, also released a statement.

“Our attention has been drawn to the subterranean and clandestine efforts of the following: 1. Speaker Yakubu Dogara, 2. Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, 3. House Whip Hon. ALHASSAN Ado Doguwa, and 4. House Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor. The above quartet have resorted to blackmail our Client into silence and to further harass his person and family using the instrument of the obstructive coercion and perversion of due process by deploying, albeit illegally some elements of the Nigeria Police,” they said.

“You will recall that our Client is in dispute with the said quartet over his refusal and inability to admit into the National Budget of 2016, the sum of about 30 Billion Naira at the behest of these quartet and also his refusal to cover up the decision of Speaker Dogara and others’ unilateral decision to distribute to themselves 40 Billion Naira out of the 100 Billion Naira allocated to the entire National Assembly in addition to what our Client considers as wasteful projects of over 20 Billion Naira to their (quartet) various constituencies.

“We want to state unequivocally that our client stands by the above assertion and will at the appropriate time prove same. We now have it on good authority that these quartet acting in concert are at the moment using some elements within the police to monitor, harass, intimidate and hound our client into an unwarranted detention with the purpose of inhibiting his right to move freely and to express himself as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended); the purpose of their antics is to upturn the narrative and paint our client as the black sheep in the flock, and cleverly presenting themselves as transparent angels.

“Accordingly, we have made appropriate representations to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies in the Country drawing their attention to this unwarranted and ill-intentioned steps taken by these quartet and not to allow themselves (security agencies) to be used to execute the personal objectives of these quartet; more so appropriate legal action has been taken by our client, as a law abiding citizen, to protect his fundamental rights as guaranteed by our laws.

“Finally, we hasten to advise Speaker Dogara and the 3 other principal officers mentioned here not to descend to the narrow aim of dragging the institution of the House of Representatives into their personal fight and to note that by virtue of the institution he leads and as a lawyer, he should act within the confines of the Rule of Law and allow the House of Representatives to institute a special investigation into this matter where our Client will have the opportunity earlier denied him by the quartet to testify and provide evidence against them BECAUSE he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”

Story by David Oputah

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