The House of Representatives has invited suspended lawmaker Abdulmumin Jibrin to appear and defend himself before the ethics and privileges committee ollowing fresh petitions against him.
Jibrin was suspended by the House on September 24 for 180 legislative days for breaking House rules, during his campaign on budget padding.
According to The Cable, the lower legislative chamber took the decision on Wednesday following a motion by the Chairman of the Ethics committee, Ossai Ossai that he was in receipt of two fresh petitions against Jibrin.
Ossai said; “The committee on ethics and privileges has commenced investigations into the petitions and seeks the indulgence of the house to invite Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, on grounds of fair hearing, to be allowed into the precincts of the house for the purpose of the defending the allegations contained in the petitions,”.
He said the petitions bothered on Jibrin’s absenteeism and poor representation of his constituency of Kiru/Bebeji in Kano state and for operating foreign accounts which was in violation of the 1999 constitution.
Giving his contribution to the debate, Aliyu Madaki, a legislator from Kano, said there was no need to consider the motion since Jibrin had been suspended.
Madaki said; “Jibrin is not my friend but let us do the right thing. He has been suspended for one year; why are we considering this then? Let the court case take its course,”.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara in his response said the matter in court did not have anything to do with absenteeism or the foreign accounts said to be operated by Jibrin.
He said; “We don’t know of any case in court as regards operating of foreign accounts or absenteeism, but this is in line with fairing hearing and I think that is why the motion is here,”.
The house adopted the motion after it was put to a voice vote by Dogara.
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