Hon. Jibrin The Accidental Activist by Nwokoma Messiah

Wonders they say shall never end and our ''obodo'' Nigeria surely has not failed to throw up wonders in abundance. How  else can one explain the decision of one of the members of Nigeria's House of Representatives, a second termer whose notoriety as Chairman of Committees he has chaired  in the House is well celebrated to turn born again?

Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin of all people has decided to embrace the comity of activists in the country a week after been thrown out as chairman of the Committee on Appropriations due to his despicable activities! His actions in that committee according to his colleagues brought undue embarrassment to them leading to what has been sensationally  described by the Nigerian media as budget padding.

Hon. Jibrin in declaring that he has turned born again activist said his mission is to ensure that the National Assembly is cleansed of corrupt politicians come 2019. That he has chosen such a noble course is most welcome at least he will help swell the ever rising rank of activists in the country. But Nigerians and I in particular are very sceptical about his decision to turn activist. They wonder if his conversion is as divine as the ''on the road to Damascus'' conversion of Saul or is born out of a mischievous plan to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that he is born again so as to seek mercy while inciting them to crucify those he has made a point of duty to malign.

Hon. Jibrin in his quest to deceive Nigerians by calling others a thief has ended up exposing himself not only as a thief but a serial liar, manipulator and blackmailer.  He understands the psyche of Nigerians who consider any politician accused rightly or wrongly as guilty except when proved otherwise. In trying to manipulate the psyche of Nigerians he has failed to understand that we Nigerians cannot always be the fools he thinks we are.

Tanko Yakassai a well respected politician in the country labeled him a blackmailer. Others have called him various names but I think the guy is simply a comedian. Considering my knowledge of Hon. Jibrin, his antecedents and his ''proclivity'' (if I may borrow the words of Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas) for blackmail, then the supposed conversion of Jibrin is suspect because of the way and manner he has been going about it. The motivation for his actions is borne out of hate, vengeance and anger of been kicked out of a position he so craves for. A position which he has used to build so much power around himself and which unfortunately for him has slipped out of his hands. He like Lucifer has fallen down from glory and has made it a mission to destroy others.

Activists don't go about blackmailing people after benefitting so much from the heist for which they now turn aroundto ueinblackmailing people. Nigerians know he was the highest beneficiary in the''padding'' scandal that enveloped the National Assembly earlier this year. He cannot eat his cake and have it. Hon. Jibrin through his reckless statements intends to take Nigerians for a ride and we as true activists who have not benefitted from such corrupt practices as he has must come out to condemn him and tell him to his face that he cannot be accepted into the comity of activists in the country. He should rather confess his deeds to the relevant agencies and see if he can reach a plea bargain or whatever they deem fit.

Why is it that now that he is no longer Chairman he is talking? Why didn't he make all this revelations known early this year? Why now? Even common thieves have principles but Jibrin lacks such and can no longer be trusted for anything dignifying. It is unfortunate that a young man like him who has been privileged to occupy a seat in the nation's parliament should allow himself to be swallowed in the cesspool of corruption and greed rather than be a good example to other youths.

This session of the 8th House of Representatives in the country I firmly belive is made up of responsible men and women and with a leader like Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, one can be rest assured that what this unfortunate activist is bandying about is nothing but falsehood. The House through its committee on media have disowned him, the Gombe state caucus in the House with responsible personalities like Hon. Ahmed Yunusa, Aisha Dukku and others have also faulted him describing his use of the word 'padding' as a misnomer because the word does not have aplace in parliamentary lexicon. Fellow members of his committee on appropriations the other day came up with the revelation that he Abdulmumin Jibrin unilaterally worked on the budget with support from his consultant.

I am inclined to believe their position as well as that of both the committee on Media and the Gombe state caucus. This is not a case of their word against his. This  is a matter of facts and antecedents. Who got the highest allocation of constituency projects in the budget? The answer is Abdulmumin Jibrin. This is a fact. What was his conduct as chairman of the Committee on finance under Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal? The answer is deplorable.  The former Speaker was reported to have almost shed tears because of his conduct and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala the past minister of finance under Goodluck Jonathan has her own share of ugly incidents with our unfortunate activist.

So when he goes on his mischievous mission of tarnishing the image of the Speaker a man of proven credibility whose transparency I can vouch for having dealt with him through my former boss a former Chairman of the Clearing and Forwarding union who approached Dogara to facilitate the release of goods of members of his union that was wrongly seized by the Customs. After using his position as then Chairman of the Committee on Customs, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara refused to request for any money or collect gratification for his assistance despite the insistence of the union members. This is the Yakubu Dogara I know. Can the same be said of our accidental and unfortunate activist? Your guess is as good as mine.

Nwokoma Messiah is of the Legislative Writers Forum LWF

Alleged forgery: Ekweremadu restates innocence

 

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has reinstated his innocence in the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules filed against him by the Federal Government.

He said his only offence was becoming Senate Deputy President against the wishes of the “powers that be”.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said Ekweremadu spoke yesterday when members of Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee visited him at his Enugu home.

The statement said then Deputy Senate President insisted that his “hands were clean”.

It said Ekweremadu, who is also a member of the high-powered Economic Advisory Committee set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the inception of his administration, reiterated his commitment to the principles of the separation of power, independence of the Legislature and growth of the nation’s democracy.

He said: “I am indeed humbled by your solidarity. As they say, the true test of a man is not where he stands in the time of comfort; it is where he stands when there is a crisis. Many people may not take this step of faith because of the situation we found ourselves in the country. Some may be afraid of their liberty and afraid of any reprisal. But you have stepped out to come and show solidarity and ask questions in a matter concerning one of your sons.

“Let me start by reinstating my innocence; that I committed no offence or forged any documents. None of the accused persons, to the best of my knowledge, committed any offence, let alone forged any document. Let me also say that no senator accused me, the President of the Senate or the other people of committing any offence. No senator or bureaucrat accused us of forging any document.”

Buhari to probe budget padding, constituency projects

 

•Jibrin alleges plot to assassinate him

The Federal Government reacted yesterday to the budget padding row in the House of Representatives, promising to probe the allegation and other related cases over the years.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN) said the government would “take action” based on the probe outcome.

This indicates that the probe may be extended to the administrations of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Malami also said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would probe executive and legislative conspiracy on constituency projects.

But former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Abdulmumin Jibrin yesterday lashed out at Speaker Yakubu Dogara for saying that padding is not an offence.

Malami, who spoke with our correspondent, said the government’s action on padding would lead to the blocking of fraudulent leakages.

He said: “We will investigate the executive and legislative conspiracy as it relates to constituency projects with a view to measuring the art of execution of the padded projects over the years

“In so doing, we will learn our lessons in the budget and its implementation as a law with the aim to prosecute infractions and block leakages inherent in the padding process.

“Action must naturally be taken in the interest of the nation for efficient utilisation of our commonwealth and blocking of fraudulent leakages.”

There were also indications yesterday that the government may resist pressure to dump the investigation of Jibrin’s petition against Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor others for the alleged padding.

It was gathered that some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are pushing for a political solution to the matter but a government source said: “We are not aware of any political solution to the ongoing investigation of the padding of the 2016 Budget by the police.

“Some people no doubt are seeking political solution to the padding palaver but I think the government will want the law to take its course.

“The way the Speaker spoke at the Presidential Villa on Friday suggested that a  political compromise was in the offing . But President Buhari made no commitment at all.”

The Special Investigation Panel (SIP) of the Police will today interact with Jibrin.

The lawmaker is expected to present more documents to the panel and begin his interaction with the five-man team.

A source said: “The panel has linked up with Jibrin, we are hopeful of a robust session with him on Monday (today).”

But Jibrin on his Tweeter handle last night said only 13 members of the House are on trial for padding, not all the 360 members.

He said: “It has once again become necessary for me to make some statements, clarifications and further revelations.

“As you are aware, my party(APC) has intervened in the current crisis following allegations of corruption, embezzlement and abuse of office leveled against Speaker Yakubu Dogara, three principal officers and nine other members of which none had responded to any.

“As I said earlier, it is only the 13 members of the House that are on trial, not the House of Representatives as an institution.

“Surprisingly, they have resorted to using every tactics to narrow the allegations to only issue of padding, which in itself is a grievous offence, ignoring tens of other criminal allegations in my petition to the anti-corruption agencies.

“In doing so, they mischievously expanded the scope of the culpability to give an impression that the entire House, the Senate and even the Executive arm of government and some individuals outside the National Assembly are on trial.

“This is a wicked attempt to drag many institutions and individuals into the matter to neutralise the issue, spread fear and sell dummy that the entire country will go down if this matter is dealt with decisively, the biggest blackmail on the entire country I have ever seen.

“Nigerians should know that the whole agenda of this blackmail is  being coordinated by  two serving governors and three former members. I will give their names in due course. They have been running from pillar to post and I keep wondering what really are they afraid of.

“The meeting with the party went very well and in all honesty, they were very objective and showed understanding.

“I told the party that I will be part of any peaceful resolution except the criminal allegations I have raised against Dogara and 12 others.

“On that, I told the party there is no going back and further informed them that more revelations will be made once investigation commences.”

Alleging that there is a plan to assassinate him, Jibrin said: “I believe Speaker Dogara, the 12 others and some vested interest within and outside the House want to kill me. I no longer feel safe. I have carefully followed their desperation to suppress what will go down in history as the biggest corruption case in Nigeria.

“I have prepared myself for any eventuality. I have spoken to my mum and dad extensively during the weekend. I have prepared my family. I have handed over a handwritten note and documents to a popular Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a man of integrity and other persons that I believe will lay it bare even if they succeed in killing me.

After three days of careful observation and receiving information from very patriotic Nigerians, I discovered a grand plan by the group of two governors and three former (House) members designed to provide soft-landing for Dogara and 12 others, give them time to clean up the mess on their desk, destroy whatever evidence in their possession and reach, spread money across members to buy signature of vote of confidence.

“So the Speaker is saying the nine roads he inserted into the budget which he fraudulently sandwiched into four roads and inserted billions into that without any design or costing is not an offence? Or the water project he hijacked from the budget and took to his farm is not an offence? Or moving 10 solar boreholes to a place that probably requires just two is not an offence?”

Dogara’s spokesman Hassan Turaki declined comment when contacted last night.