Barring last minutes change, the resumption of the House of Representatives tomorrow may be turbulent as some lawmakers opposed to Yakubu Dogara's continued stay as Speaker of the House, will tonight hold a crucial meeting to perfect plot to remove him over allegations of 2016 budget padding leveled against him by Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, the former Appropriation Committee Chairman.
According to Premium Times, the anti-Dogara Reps members are considering moving a vote of no confidence against the speaker and the entire leadership of the House.
The House, as well as the Senate, will reconvene tomorrow, Tuesday, after a lengthy recess that started on July 21.
Supporters of the Speaker, however, are also preparing to block any move against Mr. Dogara, who is accused of budget fraud.
Mr. Dogara’s backers are expected to give him a standing ovation at the end of his speech opening the new session.
Allegations of budget fraud and abuse of office, which became known as budget padding scandal, were leveled against Mr. Dogara and some other lawmakers by Abdulmumin Jibrin, who was removed as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee shortly before the house went on the recess. The allegation, Mr. Dogara had denied vehemently
In the wake of the allegations, some members formed the Transparency Group and called for the prosecution of the Speaker and other accused persons.
A key member of the group, who asked not to be named said, ahead of Tuesday’s resumption that efforts were on to mobilise lawmakers against Mr. Dogara, Premium Times reports
“But we have not concluded,” the source said, revealing that the vote of no confidence agenda was being considered.
He said they would decide later tonight whether to go ahead with the agenda.
In a counter move, the agenda to pass a no confidence vote on Dogara will not materialise, a source in the leadership of the House confided in Premium Times.
The source said; “While they are planning (the vote of no confidence), others are planning to pass vote of confidence in the leadership of the House,”
“I want you to know that after the prayer, first thing tomorrow is the Speaker’s speech. In the speech, he will welcome everybody and address all the issues and the allegations. Then, his supporters will rise to give him a standing ovation, which will be followed by a vote of confidence.
“So, I doubt if those planning vote of no confidence will still go ahead.”
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