Ex-Appropriation Chair, Jibrin, Confesses; Says He Received N650 Million Illegal Allowances

Abdulmumin Jibrin, the Kano lawmaker at the centre of the unfolding budget padding scandal, on Saturday said he was also a beneficiary of a questionable office maintenance allowance for members of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Jibrin’s confession came a day after he accused 10 principal officers of sharing more than N10 billion in fraudulent proceeds.

The 10 principal officers who allegedly received billions of naira in running cost allowance include the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, who allegedly got the largest share of N1.5 billion, Mr. Jibrin said.

Others on the list are Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, N800 million; Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, N1.2 billion; his deputy, Buba Jibril, N1.2 billion; House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, N1.2 billion; and his deputy, Pally Iriase, N700 million.

The rest are Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, N1.2 billion, his deputy, Chukwuka Onyema: N800 million, Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde, N700 million and his deputy, Binta Bello, N700 million.

Mr. Jibrin, however, said he regretted taking the loot, adding that he would explain how he used his ill-gotten N650 million.

“I have records and account of how I spent every penny that I have taken. In fact, it has been published in a 150-page book,” Mr. Jibrin said. “However, I have never been comfortable with the money! Thank God the wasteful allowances regime has reached its Waterloo! The country and House will be better off!”

Today’s revelation marks the first time Mr. Jibrin would deliberately implicate himself since he began driving the scandal five weeks ago.