The House of Representatives has finally reacted to the budget padding controversy that has tainted the institution, saying it rescued the 2016 budget from the former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Jibrin had accused some members of the House leadership of padding the budget with fictitious projects to the tune of N40 billion.

The House in its reaction on Thursday via a press release signed by the Body of Principal Officers, said on its Twitter account, @HouseNGR, that the budget was rescued from Jibrin in conjunction with the leadership of the Senate and some members of the executive arm of government.

See tweets below:

In recent weeks, the nation's public space has been inundated with a treatise of discuss centered around..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..the concept"BUDGET PADDING" , newly introduced into the lexicon of the Nigerian legislative Appropriation process.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..The proponent, the recently sacked Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

sought to make allegations of impropriety against the leadership of the House over the process and content of the 2016..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..2016 budget passed by the National Assembly and signed into law.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..While the leadership is determined to ensure that absolute diligence, maturity and due process are employed

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

in dealing with the allegations, instead of joining the accuser in a press war, it is important to state, in the..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..interest of the agitated public, that the allegations are wild, baseless and unfounded..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

Good enough, all the said allegations raise issues that can be easily verified and the public will be availed…

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..ample opportunity upon the resumption of the House. In the meantime however, the Leadership of the House of..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..Representatives wishes to reaffirm that it took collective action,
in conjunction with the Senate..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..and a team from the Executive, to rescue the 2016 Budget when it became obvious that the former..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..appropriation Chairman had placed both the document and the process in jeopardy
resulting in a spate of agitations..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..from Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

Furthermore, the decision to relieve the erstwhile Appropriation Chairman of his position..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..was a collective decision of the leadership in response to unrelenting pressures from the overwhelming majority of..

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

..Honorable Members who were irked by the former Chairman's gross abuse of the budget process.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

Both actions were taken in the best interest of the institution and the nation for which we take full responsibility.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

Truth may be slow but it usually always wins the race in the end. We have no doubts.

— House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) August 18, 2016

Those who signed the release are the speaker: Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy House Leader, Buba Jibril, Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa, Deputy Chief Whip, Pally Iriase, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde, Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuma Onyema, and the Deputy Minority Whip, Fatima Binta Bello Maigari.