Embattled lawmaker says his suspension is a learning curve

Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin, the suspended member of the House of Representatives, on Thursday, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Jibrin, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with Buhari, described his encounter with the president “as a meeting between a son and a father.’’

He dismissed the assertion that he was in the villa to seek presidential intervention over his political crisis in the House of Representatives.

He said: “well, I cannot comment in that regard. The most important is that I saw him and he is a very high spirit. I greeted like a son and he spoke to me like a father.’’

On the agitation for his recall by some concerned individuals, Jibrin, who has been on suspension for the past 16 months, said it was only normal for people to cry for justice in the society.

“Of course Nigerians like justice, my constituency has been suspended for 16 months.

“So, is only normal that people will talk and ask questions, why are we not back on the aspect of court case that has been lingering in the court for the past 16 months.

“I think these are some of the reasons people are raising issues in the public glare,’’ he said.

Commenting on the recent recall of Sen. Ali Ndume by the Senate, Jibrin said his situation was similar to that of Ndume, saying that Ndume was however lucky to be recalled.

He said: “Well, that is the interesting thing about the situation. The same case, similar case, identical case was dispense with within two months but my is still hanging in the court system but again I know the Nigerian judiciary is just so I’m pretty sure that soonest I will be able to get judgement and my constituency will soon get back to the house.’’

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On the lessons he learnt from his suspension, the suspended lawmaker said, “for every situation like this there is always an opportunity to learn, is a learning curve, so is fine.’’

Jibrin, an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kano State, had allegedly accused the leadership of the House of Representatives of wrongly inflating the 2016 budget.

He also claimed that he was being victimised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara because he objected to his request for the allocation of projects worth over N40billion to him in the 2016 budget.