One of the
Chairmen of House of Representatives Committees alleged to have padded
the 2016 budget with 2000 fictitious projects worth N284b, Zakari
Mohammed has denied being involved in the scam.
While
challenging the former Chairman, Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin
Jibrin to make good his threat of petitioning anti-graft agencies,
Mohammed noted that Jibrin is a sinking politician looking for who to
drag down with him.
Jibrin
had alleged Mohammed, who is the Chairman, Committee on Basic Education
and nine others of padding the budget with 2000 fictitious projects
worth N284b.
In
a statement Monday, Mohammed explained that having known the kind of
person Jibrin is, he (Mohammed) ensured that he avoided Jibrin and his
antics during the 2016 budget preparation period.
The
Basic Education Committee Chairman also said he was unaware of padding
in budget preparation for five years he has been the House of
Representatives.
The
statement reads: “Ordinarily, I would have ignored his face-saving
tweets but the fact that he is deceptively carrying many Nigerians along
makes it imperative to protect my hard-earned integrity and about 10
years of unblemished career in as a political office holders.
“Prior
to joining politics, I had worked as a civil servant for 14 years with
outstanding records. I cannot allow a desperado, who is also a gold
digger, to rubbish my impeccable integrity.
“I
have not spoken or had personal contact with Jibrin since November 2015
because I have always had reservations on his conduct and over rated
personality; he held every member in contempt and arrogated usurped
powers to himself.
“He
was so overwhelmed by his ambition to drag me into his plot to the
extent that he referred to me as the chairman of the House Committee on
higher education because of his orchestrated mission against me.
“I
wish to place on record that throughout the period of consideration of
the 2016 Appropriation Act, I did not meet or write Jibrin for
assistance to include any item or project in my constituency not even
when he sent Hon. Muktar Betera, chairman defence to some of us to write
via our letter heads requesting for assistance from him.
“Instead,
I concentrated on my job as the Chairman of the House Committee on
Basic Education. The proposals for Basic Education were easier in
treating because the enabling Act of UBEC is explicit on how it should
be funded. I want him to produce any of my write ups in my letter head
to the public.
“Our
submission on the 2016 budget was a product of our committee’s
relentless work, in conjunction with the Senate Committee on Basic
Education.
“I challenge Jibrin to point out the specific areas that our committee fell short of its duties.
“I
have no file with EFCC or its allied agency but the same cannot be said
of the former Appropriation Committee chairman. Nigerians should
therefore disregard his accusations because they are as a result of
frustration of his removal.
“As
for Jibrin’s formal report to the EFCC, I am more than ready to appear
before any agency or anywhere to prove my innocence. I have no skeletons
in my cupboard.”
On
budget padding, Mohammed said it was a strange phenomenon, adding,
“What a sitting President brings to the National Assembly, according to
Section 80(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution is an estimate which the
Legislature is expected to consider and assist the Executive in
reviewing appropriations for its plans and projects for the country for
the fiscal year.
“Jibrin
should look elsewhere for his prey. I was a public servant first for
14yrs before taking political appointments in 2002 as a Special
Assistant, Commissioner for Sports and later Commissioner for Energy in
Kwara State, including pioneering the first football academy in nigeria
as chairman of the board and that of the state football team in my home
state.my track records are clear and above board.
“On getting to the National Assembly in 2011, I chaired the sensitive media and public affairs committee and I
EmoticonEmoticon