The EFCC moves, corresponding with a financial audit of the accounts of the National Assembly, came as the Presidency affirmed that it was not implementing a padded budget. The Presidency also reassured Nigerians that there was no cause for alarm over the controversy, given the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to handle the matter as a “domestic issue.”
Exonerating itself from allegations of padding the 2016 national budget, the Presidency further affirmed that the budget signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari was the copy passed and sent to him by the National Assembly. Meanwhile, supporters of Speaker Yakubu Dogara were, yesterday, basking in the assurance of having collected more than 200 signatures in the 360-member House to drum support for the speaker.
Jibrin, who raised the allegations of padding of the budget against Speaker Dogara and four other principal officers of the House, was the first to be quizzed in what EFCC officials claimed would be a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter.
EFCC operatives reportedly asked him to authenticate his claims about the alleged improprieties and also questioned a petition written against him by some aggrieved youths that he (Jibrin) used his position to loot N418 million through fake contracts from the National Refugees Commission.
Jibrin, who arrived the EFCC premises around 10 a.m., did not leave until 5 p.m. yesterday. Before leaving, Jibrin reportedly filed more allegations against Dogara and his principal officers, accusing them of maintaining guest houses at the expense of government.
He also alleged that Dogara and others were collecting rents from their homes and pretended to be staying in rented quarters in breach of extant financial rules.
It was learnt that the EFCC has written two letters to the Permanent Secretary in the Budget & National Planning Ministry to furnish it with the details of the budget presented to the NASS and that returned to the government by the lawmakers. The letter was dated August 3, 2016.
Similarly, the agency has despatched another letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, requesting him to provide the EFCC with a comprehensive list of all contracts awarded since inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, last year. In addition, the commission asked the National Assembly to forward the list of contract beneficiaries and accounts into which payments were made by the legislature within the period under review.
It also requested for total amount already paid to each of the contractors and the outstanding balances for each. A top source in EFCC confirmed the probe, saying they were ready to get to the root of the alleged padding and bring culprits to book.
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