SAN FRANCISCO, October 03, (THEWILL) – Suspended member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, at the weekend described the hands-off approach of President Muhammadu Buhari to the budget padding scandal as “a blessing in disguise”.
Jibrin was last Wednesday suspended for 180 legislative days after a brief inquiry by the House into charges that he breached the privileges of reps members.
He explained that his cause to expose corruption in the Lower Chamber could have been defeated if Buhari had weighed in on the allegations of budget fraud in the House from the outset.
The former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations stated this in a statement on Saturday, which he said is his Independence Day compliments to Nigerians.
According to him, “If Mr. President had jumped into the matter at the early stage, trust Nigerians, they would have concluded that the presidency is using me to fight the House.
“Such perception and blackmail would have been difficult to deal with. The silence of Mr. President on this matter is a blessing in disguise.”
Jibrin, however, highlighted areas in which the President could help bolster his “whistle-blowing” duties.
“Anybody who can reach Mr. President should inform him that in the face of several threats to my life and that of my family, one of the security agencies had suddenly withdrawn its officers protecting me,” he said, adding that “This has made me vulnerable in the face of such persistent threats.”
