SINCE the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the National Assembly has been a filthy arena of sundry scandals. Unwholesome controversies have dogged the two hallowed chambers from one government to the other, with each scandal seemingly surpassing the previous ones. That is why the latest controversy on alleged ‘padding’ of the 2016 national budget by principal officers of the House of Representatives is attracting an avalanche of criticisms from disenchanted Nigerians. The scandal has triggered a ruckus, with accusations and counter-accusations by the parties allegedly involved in the “padding”.
It all began on July 22, a day after the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, relieved the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, of his position, and the House adjourned for a recess. Jibrin was, until then, a staunch loyalist of the Speaker.
But, not any more. He has accused principal officers of the House of manipulating the 2016 budget by surreptitiously applying for, and receiving approvals for “constituency” projects. Specifically, Jibrin (from Kano) alleged that Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yussuf Lasun, Majority Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and Minority leader, Leo Ogor, appropriated N40 billion out of the N100bn allocated for constituency projects in the 2016 Appropriation Bill for their constituencies.
In another twist to the string of allegations, Jibrin released fresh documents detailing other malfeasance by the principal officers. In one of the documents, he claimed that the Deputy Speaker who chaired the committee that reportedly approved the final House version of the budget, arbitrarily earmarked funds for “fictitious” projects to different lawmakers by hiding them in “genuine” projects proposed by the Presidency for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Consequently, Jibrin is demanding the immediate resignation of the five principal officers on the grounds that they lack the moral rectitude to lead the House on account of the sundry allegations. He said he has sent the documents containing his allegations to the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Expectedly, the principal officers have denied Jibrin’s allegations. They urged him (Jibrin) to provide evidence to back his claims. The controversy is getting messier each day, with new twists that are likely to rock the House when it resumes from its recess in a few weeks.
Altogether, Nigerians are not surprised about these startling disclosures in the House or Representatives. Indeed, scandals of various kinds have become a regular occurrence in the lower House. The Senate has also had a harvest of its own scandals as well. What seems new in the latest crisis is that it has crossed a new line. Tinkering with the Federal Budget for selfish interests by a few members, if found to be true, definitely crosses the boundary of moral rectitude. It smacks of criminality that poses a grave danger to our democracy. It is unacceptable.
In the recent past, bribery allegations, fighting and sex scandals were common features of the House of Representatives, but budget padding is something that the country should be wary of because of its profound consequences for public finances and the survival of our democracy.
We wonder whether our lawmakers are aware of the high expectations of Nigerians from them. The people expect them to work in the best interest of the country, in accordance with Sections 4, 59 and 84 (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The pursuit of selfish desires often exhibited by many of the lawmakers mirrors their character. It shows that majority of them place little premium on issues that matter to the country and its citizens who elected them to serve the country, and not themselves.
Clearly, any attempt to fraudulently manipulate the budget, as these allegations seem to suggest, is perfidious conduct that should be visited with commensurate legal process and punishment, if proved to be true.
In that regard, we call for a thorough probe of all the allegations by the parties involved in this controversy. Such investigation must be conducted by an unbiased umpire from outside the House. That is one sure way to ensure transparency and get at the root of the matter. We reiterate that the allegations are serious, and that they should not be taken as an “internal or family affair” that could be handled within the House.
Henceforth, Nigerians want our lawmakers to be more responsible and responsive to their duties as spelled out in their oaths of office. This should reflect in all matters, including the handling of appropriation bills and their oversight functions. Sadly, since 1999, our budgets have been treated by the lawmakers as an avenue for money making. That revolving door of corruption must be closed permanently in the interest of good governance.
The Appropriation Bill is a critical document designed to achieve the socio-economic goals of the country, including the shaping of policies that can advance the welfare of our people. Therefore, it should not be seen as an avenue for extortion or for achieving the selfish desires of a few individuals.
Our lawmakers should see their responsibility of vetting the budget as a privilege and an honour that must not be abused. Budgets are part of government instruments to achieve sound fiscal management within the ambit of checks and balances. We are not oblivious of the cause of the unethic
al conduct of our elected representatives at various levels of government. It is largely our skewed democratic process which gives room for people lacking in integrity and knowledge of the essence of public service. It is high time our lawmakers turned a new leaf in the interest of the country and the citizenry.