Dogara set to sue Jibrin over budget padding, gives 7 days ultimatum

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the federal house of representatives, has issued a seven-day ultimatum within which Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the appropriation committee, must apologise and retract all his allegations against him or face legal action.

In a statement on Wednesday, Turaki Hassan, spokesman to Dogara, said the demand for retraction of allegations and apology was contained in a letter addressed to Jibrin by Joash Ojo Amupitan, counsel to the speaker.

“We act as solicitors to Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara, speaker of house of representatives of three arm zone national assembly complex, Abuja herein after referred to as our client and on whose instructions we write this letter to you” ,the letter read.

“The attention of our client has been drawn to a libellous press statement you issued on Monday 25th July 2016 which was made available to members of the press titled ‘THE CORRUPT SPEAKER YAKUBU DOGARA AND HIS 3-MAN CABAL,'” read the letter.

“The personal references are obviously directed at our client, and amount to a very serious libel.

“By the said publication and without putting to the public any shred of evidence, our client is portrayed as a criminal, corrupt, dishonest, fraudulent, dishonourable and unfit to hold the position of Speaker of House of Representatives.

“Our client’s reputation has further been brought down in the estimation of right-thinking members of the society and he has been thrown into public opprobrium, odium, scorn and ridicule.

“Consequently, we consider your publication on the matter as not only libelous but made in bad faith; an act of vendetta owing to your recent removal as the chairman of house committee on appropriation.

“The said publication is also aimed at causing disaffection between Nigerians and members of the house of representatives.

“Sequel to the above, we have to request you to submit immediately to us a clear and unqualified apology and retraction of the publication in an equally conspicuous position in all the print and electronic media where the publication appeared.

“Take notice that in the event of your failure/refusal to comply with the above mentioned demands within seven days of your receipt of this letter, we have further instructions to institute a suit against you in a court of law. If we have to pursue this course, we shall be claiming aggravated and exemplary damages.”

In the statement referred to by Dogara’s counsel, Jibrin had accused Dogara, Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker, Alhassan Doguwa, whip and Leo Ogor, minority leader of an attempt to pad the budget by N40 billion out of the N100 billion allocated to the national assembly.

He also alleged that Dogara laundered money when he was chairman house services in the sixth and seventh assemblies.