SERAP to Dogara: Refer N40bn budget padding allegation to EFCC, ICPC for investigation

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the

Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara to “urgently refer

to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent

Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for an

effective and independent investigation the allegations that the

leadership of the House attempted to pad this year's budget to the tune of

N40 billion and that the member who blew the whistle was victimized for

opposing immunity for principal officers.”
SERAP's call followed allegations by the immediate past Chairman of the

House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmunin Jibrin, that Speaker Yakubu

Dogara and three other principal officers of the House victimized him for

refusing to support immunity for presiding officers as well as the

approval of N40 billion for principal officers out of N100 billion

approved for members of the House for constituency project.

In a statement today by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the

organization said that, “Given the seriousness and gravity of the

allegations against the leadership of the House, any investigation by the

House would not be enough, as this would not meet the threshold of an

effective, transparent and independent investigation. Nigerians won't have

confidence in the House investigating itself in this case.”

The statement reads in part: “Referring the allegations to both the EFCC

and the ICPC for a joint investigation would show that the House

leadership is willing and able to enhance the transparency and

accountability of its system and that of the National Assembly as a

whole.”
“The Speaker must now move swiftly to refer the allegations to the EFCC

and the ICPC to allow for a swift, transparent, effective and independent

investigation in order to contain the damage that is already done, but

also not to create the impression of a cover up. There must be full

accountability for any leader or member of the House found to be

responsible for corruption and abuse of office.”
“These allegations also raise numerous questions about the need for

greater level of transparency and accountability in the National Assembly,

such as telling Nigerians the salaries and allowances of Senators and

members of the House; public auditing of spending by the National

Assembly, and why several concluded reports on allegations of corruption

that have been investigated by the National Assembly remain shrouded in

secrecy and skewed to favour suspected corrupt officers.”

“SERAP also urges the leadership of the House to publicly commit that the

House will not promote constitutional amendments on immunity for its

principal officers. No matter how it's framed, no public interest is

served by the National Assembly seeking to grant its principal officers

immunity that wasn't contemplated by the framers of the 1999

Constitution.”
“It's absolutely important that members of the National Assembly–the

Senate and House of Representatives–conduct themselves at all times in

the knowledge that their role is a public one; appearances of propriety

can be as important as actual conflicts of interest in establishing what

is acceptable behaviour.”
“SERAP also urges Mr Dogara to use the opportunity of addressing the

allegations raised against the leadership of the House to propose a bill

on members' integrity, which we strongly believe would help to restore

public confidence in the National Assembly; provide a check against

corruption; and protect the leadership of the House and Senate from claims

and criticisms of self- interest.”
“Legislators are fiduciaries in terms of acting with honesty, integrity

and the utmost good faith in the public interest. The oath of office sworn

by members of National Assembly at the beginning of every term also sets a

clear evidence of their fiduciary duty that they must be faithful to the

constitution and commit themselves to the greatest happiness of the

greatest number.”
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