NASS seals lawmaker’s office

chika ebuzor

September 29, 2016 10:17 PM

Some staff working with Jibrin took their personal belongings and documents before the office was closed

National Assembly officials sealing Jibrin’s office.

The House of Representatives on Thursday sealed the office of the suspended former Chairman of Appropriations Committee, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano).

The Sergeant-at-Arms team and police supervised the sealing of the office, Room 1.05 located at the new building wing of the complex.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some legislative staff working with Jibrin evacuated some of their personal belongings and documents before the office was closed

The ejection exercise was sequel to the resolution passed by the House during Wednesday plenary session on the recommendations of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, chaired by Rep. Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta).

In adopting the report and recommendations of the Committee, the House resolved to suspend Jibrin for 180 legislative days.

The sanction also barred Jibrin from holding any position in the House during the period till the end of the 8th Assembly.

Briefing newsmen shortly after, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) said that the House had not received any court papers regarding the suspension.

Namdas said: “While the suspended lawmaker has a right to go to court, there is a clear separation of powers between the three arms of government’’.

“The House is empowered by the constitution to have its own rules.

“Jibrin breached the collective privileges of members with his blanket statements that the House is corrupt in its public hearings, investigations and oversight functions.

“The House has rules and if anyone errs, there are certain sanctions which are applied. What we have done is within our rules.

“There is no petition from Jibrin against any member before the Ethics Committee and we cannot investigate based on newspaper publications.

“He made allegations which he could not substantiate.’’

chika ebuzor