SERAP tells Dogara Only EFCC, ICPC probe will prove you’re innocent

 The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has said the House of Representatives should not be the one to investigate the allegation of N40billion budget padding levelled against its leadership.

The immediate past chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmunin Jibrin, had alleged that Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of the House persecuted him because he failed to support immunity for presiding officers as well approve N40 billion for principal officers out of N100 billion approved for members of the House for constituency projects.

The House it was gathered is planning to investigate the allegation when it resumes sitting.

But, in a statement on Sunday, SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni called on Dogara to urgently refer the case 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 of the allegations.

Mumuni said, “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”, it said.

By Ebere Ndukwu …