The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has yet to invite the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and other principal officers of the House accused of padding the 2016 budget because the agency is still carrying out preliminary investigations.

But the commission said those who participated in the budget padding saga would not go without being punished.

The EFCC Deputy Director, Operations, Lagos Office, Iliyasu Kwarbai, said this on Monday while addressing a coalition of over 30 civil society organisations that took to the streets of Lagos to protest against the budget padding saga in the lower chambers of the National Assembly.

Kwarbai explained that although the commission had received a series of petitions, the EFCC had to carry out preliminary investigations before inviting accused persons.

He said, “We are already in receipt of petitions from some other members of the public and the investigation is being done in Abuja. When petitions are received, we look at them, make some analyses, and commence investigation.

“We do what we call preliminary investigation without inviting the accused persons. We carry out some investigations and gather some facts to ascertain the truthfulness of that petition. When we find them culpable, then, we go into inviting the accused persons.

“What we are doing is to look at the case since we have already received some of the petitions; our men are already on the ground, carrying out very thorough investigations. So don’t be in doubt; the EFCC cannot be cowed. Anybody involved in corruption, no matter how highly placed, we don’t cover any person at all.

“Once we receive your petition, once it is being investigated, once you are indicted, definitely, we go into inviting you. Definitely, whoever is involved in the issue of budget padding will never go free.”

Earlier the rights groups had asked the anti-graft agency to ensure that Dogara and nine other principal officers of the House be investigated.

The groups, which brandished placards such as ‘EFCC probe NASS illegal allowances’; ‘No immunity for economic criminality, probe budget padding’; and ‘Save Nigeria from legislative thieves’, said the 10 principal officers of the House of Representatives fingered in the budget padding ought not to be walking freely.

The Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria, Tosin Adeyanju, who spoke on behalf of the groups before delivering their petition to the EFCC officials in Lagos, said, “He (Dogara) has no immunity. If governors’ accounts are being frozen, I don’t know why Speaker Dogara’s account should be left free.

“I don’t know why Jibrin, Femi Gbajabiamila, Leo Ogor and Doguwa should be walking freely.”

The former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, had, earlier on July 21, accused Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, of padding the budget by over N40bn.

Jibrin, whom the principal officers said was sacked for “abusing” the 2016 budget, had recently alleged that other principal officers of the House, including himself, had illegally collected about N10bn between 2003 and 2015.

Cc: lalasticlala

http://punchng.com/reps-budget-padding-scandal-wont-go-free-efcc/

Enough of assertions... We need actions.

Lolol. Nothing is going to happen to them except they become a fly on the party's scrotum. Even at that, nothing will still happen to them. Saraki comes to mind.

Reyginus:
Lolol. Nothing is going to happen to them except they become a fly on the party's scrotum. Even at that, nothing will still happen to them. Saraki comes to mind.

really?

ok

DONSMITH123:



really?

woe unto that man that place his trust on buhari

abokibuhari:

woe unto that man that place his trust on buhari

should i say amen? Nay. But i think if Dogara and Jubrin should go free, it means Buhari has a long way to go.

DONSMITH123:



really?

Lol. Yes. Were you not in this country when 'Farouk' Lawal made it to our own dictionary after he was caught on pen camera collecting some stipends from Billionaire Otedola?

Remember how we all laughed at it creating new words with Farouk? Remember how the short guy denied everything we saw on live camera? Smh. What happened to him afterwards? Nothing.

And has anything changed? No. Are these set of EFCC non-partisan, a trait not synonymous with all? No. Has the senate leadership changed to a new way of doing things? No. The FG Nko? No.

DONSMITH123:



should i say amen? Nay. But i think if Dogara and Jubrin should go free, it means Buhari has a long way to go.

Which long way? It is not Buhari but Nigeria and Nigerians. You think Buhari is any different? Think again. You can't be a good man and incorruptible and win an election in the current Nigeria. It's impossible.

If I hear say dogara no be speaker till 2019 make my nyash bend.
Next year budget em go still pad..pad am anyau sef..infact padding continues..
Au we wan take fund election..
Anyway I no say na talk sha...no worry make una talk..
apc government and plenty talk with plenty lies and no action..
All na wash...

Reyginus:
Lol. Yes. Were you not in this country when 'Farouk' Lawal made it to our own dictionary after he was caught on pen camera collecting some stipends from Billionaire Otedola?

Remember how we all laughed at it creating new words with Farouk? Remember how the short guy denied everything we saw on live camera? Smh. What happened to him afterwards? Nothing.

And has anything changed? No. Are these set of EFCC non-partisan, a trait not synonymous with all? No. Has the senate leadership changed to a new way of doing things? No. The FG Nko? No.

My brother, i think Ibrahim Magu himself has a case to answer and he's doing it so hard to save his Job. If the Government really need to fight corruption, they will need to be fair in all round. Those who comes to equiry must come with clean hands.

How does one even stop padding? Is it really possible when the same thieves who pad are responsible for the amount of money they get? Is it even correct to call it padding? Or to say padding is wrong?

DONSMITH123:


My brother, i think Ibrahim Magu himself has a case to answer and he's doing it so hard to save his Job. If the Government really need to fight corruption, they will need to be fair in all round. Those who comes to equiry must come with clean hands.

But not in this case. Nothing will happen to either Dogara or Jibrin. This case is not a job saving opportunity because any attempt to save anything here will consume all. Jibrin knows too much to be punished. You must come out with a black eye if you try to sink him.

Reyginus:
But not in this case. Nothing will happen to either Dogara or Jibrin. This case is not a job saving opportunity because any attempt to save anything here will consume all. Jibrin knows too much to be punished. You must come out with a black eye if you try to sink him.

hmmm

Stories

Reyginus:
But not in this case. Nothing will happen to either Dogara or Jibrin. This case is not a job saving opportunity because any attempt to save anything here will consume all. Jibrin knows too much to be punished. You must come out with a black eye if you try to sink him.

Nothing will happen with this case if the presidency tries to remove Dogara that is when he will see the true color of both arms of the National Assembly. It will be an epic battle.

BABANGBALI oya over to you.

who EFCC don epp?

all i see is toothless bulldog barking

blackmantis:


Nothing will happen with this case if the presidency tries to remove Dogara that is when he will see the true color of both arms of the National Assembly. It will be an epic battle.

Yeah. Nothing is going to happen.

Yes! Their punishment will consist of a lot of "plea bargains"!

lalasticlala

Efcc...too much talk only.