The House of Representatives has asked its committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate statements by a member from Kano State, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on the joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
This was sequel to a matter of breach of privilege moved by Sunday Karimi (Kogi, PDP) drawing the attention of the House to the statement by Mr. Jibrin.
He said there was need to call Mr Jibrin to order because he had turned the House “upside down.”
Mr Jibrin had in a statement on behalf of the Parliamentary Support Group, a group of senators and members of the House of Representatives loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari, distanced the group from Tuesday’s resolution of the National Assembly.
Lawmakers had on Tuesday charged Mr Buhari to take responsibility for actions of his appointees and desist from being selective in his anti-corruption war, among other resolutions.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, who read the resolutions, added that the legislature will exercise its constitutional power if Mr Buhari fails to act.
Mr. Jibrin on behalf of the group said most people who spoke at the session were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He claimed members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) tactically avoided airing their views. However both chambers of the National Assembly are led by APC lawmakers (Mr Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara).
Referring the matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Mr Dogara condemned the action of the Kano lawmaker and described him as always absent but always the first to run to the press.
“I have a problem with members who don’t come for sitting and immediately approaching the press when a decision is taken,” he said.
“We shouldn’t mislead the public, it is very unfortunate,” the speaker said.
Mr. Jibrin barely two months ago returned from a suspension which lasted for over a year.
He might be headed for another stiff legislative sanction if the committee concludes its investigation.
He was suspended by his colleagues in September, 2016 for 180 legislative days after he exposed a budget padding scandal.
He accused the speaker, deputy speaker, Lasun Yussuff; the chief whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the minority leader, Leo Ogor, of padding the 2016 budget with over N30 billion constituency projects.
He submitted a petition against the principal officers at the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), State Security Services (SSS) and the Police headquarters all in Abuja.
After being on suspension for over a year, Mr. Dogara said Mr. Jibrin was recalled after apologising to the House.
The lawmaker, however, later got a court judgement which voided his suspension and asked the House to pay him all his entitlements for the period.
