"Budget padding is not an offence, I won't resign" - Speaker says

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the House of Representatives has again reacted to allegations by Abdulmumin Jibrin that him and three other principal officers of the green chamber inflated figures in the 2016 budget.

Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday, August 5, 2016, Speaker Dogara said budget padding was not an offence against any Nigerian law.

"I studied Law and I have been in the legislature and all this period I have never heard of the word 'padding' being an offence under any law. If I don’t know, you are the media, research the law and let me know", the speaker said.

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The number four citizen stated that he would not resign as he has not committed any offence.

"I have not committed any offence and so, the question of me resigning does not even arise", he said.

Speaker Dogara and President Muhammadu Buhari are currently holding a private meeting at the Aso Rock Villa.

Pulse recalls that Jibrin had on Thursday, July 21, 2016 called for resignation the of the speaker, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, minority leader, Leo Ogor and Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa.

He accused Speaker Dogara and the other principal officers of illegally inserting and allocating projects worth over N30 billion to their constituencies in the 2016 budget.