APC Summons Abdulmumin Jibrin Over His Allegations Against Dogara, Others

The National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has written a letter, summoning the former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, to appear before it today (Tuesday).

Jibrin is expected to appear before the party’s leadership at its National Secretariat, Abuja, over his continued allegations against the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, and other members of the House.

The lawmaker had recently accused the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor of attempting to pad N40bn into the 2016 budget.

Jibrin, in a bid to prove his allegations, vowed to visit major security agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC.

In its reaction, the Deputy National Chairman for the Northern Zone of the party, Lawal Shuaibu, described the ousted Appropriation Chairman’s continued media campaign against the House Speaker as unacceptable.

The party, in the letter, chided Jibrin for resorting to media war against its party members when he had not exhausted the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.

The letter reads, “As a disciplined party, the constitution of our party has made adequate provisions on ways of resolving any issue among our members. It behoves on the party to take all necessary steps in order to ensure that no member of the Family brings dishonour to the party.

“To say the least, it is absolutely unacceptable to resort to media war as a means of settling scores without recourse to and/or exhausting the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.

“You are, therefore, by this invitation, expected to appear before the undersigned at the APC National Secretariat on Tuesday, 2nd August, 2016, at 2 p.m. Kindly note that failure to and/or refusal to honour this invitation will amount to a decision you have made not to submit to the party.”

Meanwhile, a former chairman of House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Tuesday said he will appear before his party’s disciplinary panel after being summoned on Monday over the unfolding budget padding scandal.

Mr. Jibrin was summoned by the ruling All Progressives Congress to appear at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja no later than 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

The lawmaker, who represents Kano in the House, has been locked in media and political battle with the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, and other lawmakers he accuses of manipulating the 2016 budget.

In the letter, which was exclusively obtained and published by Monday night, the APC said the writ became necessary after Mr. Jibrin frustrated all efforts to reach him by telephone or text messages.

The letter was signed Lawal Shuaibu, the party’s Deputy National Chairman, North, and it appeared a clear warning to Mr. Jibrin that the APC would not tolerate indiscipline within its ranks.

In an emailed statement to NewsWireNGR Tuesday morning, Mr. Jibrin acknowledged receipt of the letter and said he would honour the summons.

He, however, denied that he deliberately ignored party leaders’ attempts to reach him.

Mr. Jibrin also denied that the party’s committee was of a disciplinary nature.

“The letter did not in anyway indicate it is a disciplinary committee,” Mr. Jibrin said.

For two weeks running, Mr. Jibrin has placed the House on the defensive after he was removed as chair of the Appropriation Committee on allegations of betrayal of trust, a charge he had repeatedly declined.