As investigation into allegations that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and four other principal officers injected projects worth N281 billion into the 2016 budget continues, indications have emerged that the speaker have secured the support of majority of members to stave off resignation threat.
Dogara has come under intense scrutiny and pressure to quit or defend his name based on allegations by the sacked chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdul-mumin Jibrin, that he and four other principal officers of the House were involved in budget padding.
But Dogara has fought back, mobilising majority of his loyalists in the legislature to append their signatures in his support to stave off imminent removal and replacement.
He is reported to have so far secured the signatures of no fewer than 262 of the 360-member legislature.
The 262, according to sources, have already signed a register opened by Dogara to keep track of those backing him.
The signature drive is being collated across the six geopolitical zones on a state by state basis with support for Dogara said to be very strong in five zones with the Southwest being the exception.
But Jibrin has alleged that Dogara bribed the members to sign the register.
Resuming from his vreak of further commenting on the issue yesterday, Jibrin said: “It is a fact that all the members that signed for Dogara’s vote of confidence collected money in a shameful and disgraceful exercise, and despite that the consensus remains the Speaker must step aside and face external investigation.”
Dogara and his co-accused are expected to appear before the police team this week. Their accuser, Abdumumuni Jibrin, has already met with the panel and submitted documents to the team.
