Budget padding: Fresh trouble for Jibrin as groups drag him to EFCC

A coalition of media and civil society organisations has dragged the immediate past Chairman of the House of Reps appropriation Committee, Hon Abdulmumunu Jibrin, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the controversy surrounding the alleged padding of the 2016 budget.

The various groups, under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Nigeria said the nation’s democracy was under trial following what it termed as the alleged plot to destabilise the leadership of the House of Representatives by external forces.

The CSO, in the statement, signed by Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi, Executive Director of African Media Roundtable Initiative and convener, Coalition of Analysts and Media and Civil Society Organisations, and Opeyemi Duke, Executive Director, Centre for Legislative Advocacy, said it was the responsibility of the legislature to make appropriation, adding that there was nothing like padding in legislative terms.

The NYCN, in its petition to EFCC, signed by its coordinator of the anti-corruption unit, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, accused Jibrin of being involved in multi-million naira contract and called on the anti-graft agency to investigate him.

The group accused Jibrin of orchestrating the alleged padding of the 2016 budget.

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