The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) on Sunday said the federal government would “take action” over the budget padding row in the House of Representatives, promising to probe the allegation and other related cases over the years, Nation reports.
Malami also said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would probe executive and legislative conspiracy on constituency projects.
The probe may be extended to the administrations of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said: “We will investigate the executive and legislative conspiracy as it relates to constituency projects to measuring the art of execution of the padded projects over the years
“In so doing, we will learn our lessons in the budget and its implementation as a law with the aim to prosecute infractions and block leakages inherent in the padding process.
“Action must naturally be taken in the interest of the nation for efficient use of our commonwealth and blocking of fraudulent leakages.”
There were also indications yesterday that the government may resist pressure to dump the investigation of Jibrin’s petition against Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuff Lasun, Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor others for the alleged padding.
Two hundred and six members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives have again urged Speaker Yakubu Dogara to step down to make sure a proper investigation into the budget padding controversy that has enveloped the legislative body according to News24.
Dogara and former chairman of the House appropriations committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, have for two weeks engaged in verbal exchanges, blaming each other for the padding of the 2016 budget.
In a statement released on Saturday, the lawmakers, who described themselves as members of the Transparency Group, expressed deep shock that Speaker Dogara has tried to exonerate himself from responsibility for the scandalous padding of the 2016 budget.
