Court fixes Feb. 20 to hear budget padding case
A Federal High Court in Kano on Wednesday fixed Feb. 20, for hearing in the case against the Clerk and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara over the suspension of Abdulmumini Jibril.
Some constituents of Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency sued the Clerk and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, challenging the legality of suspending their member, Jibril.
Recall that Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin was on September 28, 2016, suspended for 180 legislative days after he was accused of bringing the House into disrepute with his utterances and allegation of the 2016 budget padding.
Jibrin had alleged that Dogara, Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority leader Leo Ogor and nine committee chairmen illegally inserted fictitious projects into the 2016 Budget.
His suspension followed the adoption of the recommendations of the Nicholas Ossai-led Ethics and Privileges Committee.
The report of the committee was adopted on Wednesday after it was thoroughly debated on the floor.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara did not preside on the matter because he was one of those alleged by Jubrin for padding the 2016 budget.
The four recommendations were adopted at the Committee of the Whole House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun.
The counsel for the plaintiff, Mr Bashir Muqaddam had earlier applied for a date to enable him respond to the issues raised in the preliminary objection filed by the defence counsel.
According to him, the defence counsel wanted the consolidation of the two suits – the one filed by the constituency in Kano and the other filed by Jibril in Abuja.
Counsel for the defence, Mr Kalu Onuha said he had no objection to the application for adjournment.
The presiding Judge, Justice Sulaiman Akoko, said in the absence of objection to the application for adjournment, the case would come up again for hearing on Feb. 20.
Muqaddam, the counsel to the plaintiffs, told newsmen after the sitting that “when the case resumes on Feb. 20, we are going to argue on the issue of consolidation as raised by the defence counsel.” (NAN)
