From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The controversial House of Representatives whistleblower, Abdulmumin Jibrin, from Kano who has been on suspension for the past 16 months over budget padding scandal, emerged from a private visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, saying his ordeal has been a learning curve.
Jibrin was suspended in September 2016 for 180 legislative days but he has spent over 400 days in suspension.
Speaking to State House Correspondents, Jibrin who said he was on a private visit to see the President who he had not seen for a long time and to wish his son, Yusuf, quick recovery following the head injury and fractured limb he sustained on Tuesday night in a power bike crash, expressed confidence in the nation’s judiciary that he will get justice at the end of the day.
He also said he was not in the villa to seek the president’s intervention over his suspension. He also said they did not discuss the crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kano State.
“As you are aware I have not seen the president for a while now. It’s a meeting between a son and a father,” he replied to journalists’ enquiry.
On if he sought the president’s intervention on his political crisis in the House of Representatives, he said: “Well, I cannot comment on that. The most important thing is that I saw him and he is in a very high spirit. I greeted him like a son and he spoke to me like a father.”
Asked if the president’s son’s accident came up during their interaction, Jibrin said: “Oh, of course. I greeted him and wished his son quickest recovery.”
Asked how he felt about the campaign to have him recalled to the House of Representatives, he said: “It’s only normal. Of course, Nigerians like justice, my constituency has been suspended for 16 months, so it is only normal that people will talk and ask questions, ‘why are we not back on the aspect of court case that has been lingering for the past 16 months.’ I think these are some of the reasons people are raising issues in the public glare..”
Asked if he had learnt any lesson and if he would have acted differently, he answered: “For every situation like this there is always an opportunity to learn. It is a learning curve. So, it is fine.”
On how he felt since his counterpart Senator Ali Ndume was recently recalled, Jibrin said: “Well, that is the interesting thing about the situation. The same case, similar case, identical case was dispense with within two months but I’m still hanging in the court system. But again, I know the Nigerian judiciary is just; so I’m pretty sure that soonest I will be able to get judgment and my constituency will soon get back to the house.”
Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara had announced the removal of Jibrin following a speech he (Jibrin) read at plenary on July 20, 2016 in which he alleged budget fraud and serial betrayal of trust.
To back his allegations against Dogara, Jibrin had released document to the media.
On July 30, officials of the Directorate of State Service (DSS) sealed off secretariat of the Appropriation Committee in the National Assembly after Jibrin raised the alarm that Dogara had allegedly concluded plans to cart away computers and destroy evidence.
Jibrin also visited law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the DSS and the police, where he said he personally submitted petitions detailing evidence of fraudulent manipulation of budget by Dogara, his deputy Yusuf Lasun, House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor and nine others.