Budget padding controversy

Budget padding controversy  was a controversy that affected the House of Representatives of Nigeria. It led to the suspension of Abdulmumin Jibril, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation. He was suspended for 180 legislative days and removed as Chair, House Committee on Appropriation in June 2016 over an allegation he leveled against the speaker of the house, Yakubu Dogara and three other principal members of the house of representatives, Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun, Alhassan Doguwa and Leo Okuweh Ogor.

On 20 July 2016, Jibril accused the speaker of the house and the principal officers of fraud, corruption, and padding of the 2016 budget and this led to his suspension on 28 September 2016. He was suspended for 180 legislative days.<ref
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According to Premium Times Nigeria, Jibril said "My resolve to champion this cause was borne out of patriotism and desire to complement the present administration’s anti-corruption war from the legislative front,”

He claimed that the principal officers including the speaker of the House allotted to themselves a sum of N40 billion out of the 100 billion naira apportioned to the House of Representatives. He indicted the speaker and accused him of aiming to smuggle the sum of 30 billion naira into the 2016 budget. The speaker rebutted the allegation and subsequently described it as blackmail.

In a counter claim, the lawmakers through the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas stated that his suspension was connected to his investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and abuse of power during his tenure as Chairman of Finance Committee.

On 13 March 2018, his suspension was rescinded by the lawmakers after he submitted an apology letter to the House.

References

Category:2010s in Nigeria
Category:Politics of Nigeria
Category:Controversies