‘Nobody can probe us,’ Dogara

chika ebuzor

August 12, 2016 4:33 AM

Dogara also said lawmakers are empowered to make laws, the Appropriation Act inclusive, without being questioned.

House of Representatives Speaker,Yakubu Dogara

The House of Representatives Speaker,

Citing the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act, sections 24, 30, Dogara said the activities of the National Assembly are privileged.

This is coming after the Speaker reportedly snubbed a police committee that was inaugurated to investigate the budget padding allegations levelled against him by Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Dogara also said “They cannot be grounds for any investigation into the procedures or proceedings against a member of parliament; either the Speaker or the President of the Senate; once they are done in the exercise of their proper functions.

“The law is there; you can go and read it. This is in order to give independence to the legislature. If the legislature is not independent, we can’t do anything. If whatever you say on the floor of the House or either in the committee is subject to litigation, then all the members will be in court. At the end of the day, when debate comes, you cannot even air your view.

“The budget is a law and nobody can object to the fact that only the legislature can make the law and only the parliament that can conclude it.”

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed insinuations that those fingered in the budget padding scandal will be sanctioned.

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chika ebuzor