Who is blackmailing Dogara?

The media has been awashed with reports on budget padding scandal involving Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and some of his principal officers. The disclosure emanated from the former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumini Jibrin. Since his sack from his plum position by the speaker, Jibrin, like the proverbial […]

The media has been awashed with reports on budget padding scandal involving Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and some of his principal officers. The disclosure emanated from the former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumini Jibrin. Since his sack from his plum position by the speaker, Jibrin, like the proverbial wounded lion has been attacking Dogara and accusing him of budget padding. From how things unfolded, Jibrin wants to settle a score with the speaker for reasons best known to him. The Kano lawmaker has been going from pole to pillar trying to rope Dogara and tarnish his hard earned reputation. 
The verbal war that ensued between the two lawmakers has brought shame to the ruling party. But, to the surprise of many Nigerians, jibrin did not give a damn on the ridicule his actions have brought to his personality and the APC in general. In spite of the effort to reconcile the warring parties by the national leadership of the APC, Jibrin has refused to abide by the terms of agreement. He has continued to fire salvo against the speaker. This showed that Jibrin is in collaboration with some hidden forces, which are hell bent in pulling the speaker down. To them, the only way to destabilize the Green Chamber and achieve their ulterior motives is to ignite crises of huge magnitude. And they have never faltered in doing it.
Budget padding is not a crime once the inserted projects could be executed. It is global practice in a constitutional democracy. Even in US and other democratic countries of the world, legislature pad budget to attract projects to their constituency. In Nigeria, since the inception of democracy, budget padding has been going on. The only thing that can make budget padding a crime is when the funds mean for the execution of the project are stolen or cornered into private pocket.
Since the emergence of Dogara as speaker, the Green Chamber has witnessed unity of purpose and harmonious relationship among the different representatives that lead to the considerable passing of bills that have direct bearing to the lives of a common man. Any attempt to crucify Dogara will have a negative effect to the smooth running of the chamber. I believe crises of this nature demands effective resolution not media and verbal war.
Isyaku Garba, Matawallen Dass, Bauchi.