GROUP INSISTS HON. DOGARA MUST RESIGN

Members of the Transparency Group in Nigeria’s House of Representatives have insisted that Speaker Yakubu Dogara must resign.

“We hereby reiterate our call on Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara to resign in order to pave way for proper investigation” the group said in a statement on Saturday.

Transparency group made this call in a statement in reaction to Dogara’s defence of budget padding in his first public comment on the scandal.

The statement  titled : “How Dogara Padded 2016 Budget” was signed by Bashir Baballe, Member Representing Ungogo/Minjibir Federal Constituency of Kano State, Agunsoye Oluwarotimi Ojo, Member Representing Kosofe Federal Constituency of Lagos State and Abubakar Chika Adamu, Member Representing Shiroro/Munya/Rafi Federal Constituency of Niger State on behalf of the 206 Members of Transparency Group.

It said “Members of the Transparency Group are appalled and deeply shocked to hear the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, exonerating himself from the budget-padding scandal raging in the House.

“For a person of Speaker’s standing to have the temerity to come out publicly in defence of an action that is clear negation of federal character principles and breach of trust is both disappointing and dishonorable.

“The Speaker’s comments also endanger the spirit of the oneness of Nigeria.

“We gave the forgoing background to stress the criminal aspect of the Speaker’s action, which is against the letters and spirit of the constitution he swore to protect.

According to the group, “The general public should note that Speaker Yakubu Dogara made criminal insertions (otherwise known as “budget padding”) to the tune of over N3billion to his constituency alone.

“While the entire Zonal Intervention for the three (3) Senatorial Districts of Bauchi State and 12 Federal Constituencies in the state amounts to N1,666,666,666, the Speaker criminally inserted about 200 percent of the amount, totalling N3,079,000,000 to his constituency alone!