I am sure that many people,
including the supporters of the two main political parties in Nigeria are
disappointed with the dimension that the Dogara-Jibrin scuffle is taking.
Better don't be. That is the way that it has been designed to end. Honourable Jibrin
has been suspended. He will not have the time, opportunity or guts to cause
trouble for not only the members of the National Assembly but the Executive.
Most people do not understand that budgeting in Nigeria is just beyond what they see on the televisions and/ or read in the newspapers.
The truth most people don't know is this: Before the formal, public and open presentations of budget proposals by Ministries, Parastatals, Agencies, MDA's, etc., there is usually a secret meeting by the heads of these institutions with members of the respective and relevant committees of the National Assembly. This is when the members of the National Assembly 'mark up' the various institutions' budgetary allocations to include the members' interests. Any institution that refuses to play ball at this stage will be frustrated by the relevant committee. They are then told to go and do their "homework" very well before coming back. 'Homework' here is playing ball by adding figures to cater for the interests of the members of the relevant committee. This mark up is what we now know as padding. Once the relevant institution, which has no other option than to pad their budget eventually complies, it then scales through.
Also, every member of the National Assembly is entitled to a constituency project, with the principal members having the lion share. All of these and many other phoney ones are imbedded in the budget
After the budget has been passed and signed into law, and at the stage of implementation, these Honourable members and Distinguished Senators, dust their briefcases and march to the various institutions, Parastatals, Agencies, MDA's, etc., for their money. They are then awarded "contracts" by these institutions through proxy companies. These are no ordinary contracts but a means of recouping their "investments" in such institutions. Shortly after, they are paid for such contracts and they smile home satisfied with their returns on the investments, while the various heads of the institutions equally help themselves too.
The 2016 budget has been passed. It is now time for members of the National Assembly and the heads of the various institutions to be compensated after spending time to prepare a "tedious" budget, then one "twart" in the guise of a repented soul, wants to bring all their efforts to nought. Where is that done?
Of course you will argue that Honourable Jibrin's allegation is against the principal members in the House of Representatives. That is true for now, but giving him the opportunity to run wild with his allegation will trigger off a lot of other allegations that will lead to so much revelations that ordinary people like us may not be able to handle. So, it is better to nip this problem in the bud by suspending him before it becomes a national disgrace. It was incidents like these that brought down the former Senate President, Wagbara, the former Education minister, Professor Fabian Osuji and others during the Obasanjo regime.
Since all hands were on deck to birth the budget, all hands must be on deck too to quench any fire, no matter how little, any trouble maker may want to start. That explains the reason why the House of Representatives unanimously voted for the suspension of Jibrin for such a long time that will enable them recoup their 2016 investment as well as adequately prepare for next year's "investment" period.
What Honourable Jibrin tried to fight is beyond him. It is not an individual corruption, but a very complex institutional corruption that has been entrenched over the years. He definitely, will not be the winner unless a miracle happens and those involved decide to have a change of heart, which I think may not be too soon.
All those that are saying that the House ought to have investigated the matter should now know why the House or any other body would not go near these petitions of Honourable Jibrin, no matter how well couched, unless the investigators will come from the moon.
Honestly, I believe that the House of Representatives took the decision to suspend Jibrin in our national interest. After all, we sent them to represent us. And our reasons for electing them ranged from the ridiculous to the mundane. We don't expect them to do anything less. And their decision on Jibrin was to save us from the dizzying stench of the odour that such revelations would have subjected us to. Better we continue to live both in the dark and in the past, to be properly equipped with enough ignorance to blindly sing the praises of our looting leaders.
We are satisfied with our conditions. We don't want anything to rock the boat.
Go Harder, National Assembly!
29/09/16
Based in Abuja, NIGERIA.
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