Following budget padding allegations made by former Chairman House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa on Monday said Jibrin would be punished for “bringing the image of the legislature into disrepute.”

Doguwa claimed that Jibrin’s accusations were made to avenge his removal as a committee chairman and also destroy the House.

Jibrin had accused Speaker Dogara, alongside three other principal officers of the House of padding the 2016 national budget with N40 billion.

The three accused lawmakers are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lasun Yussuff; Ado-Doguwa and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Ado-Doguwa also said Jibrin had violated the rules of the House and as such must be punished.

He said, “His rushing to court is sheer cowardice and an act of escapism. Jibrin’s legal strategy is to deploy a judicial instrument to protect himself against possible sanctions from the House over his baseless and fictitious allegations to defame and destroy our integrity in the eyes of the Nigerian public.

“He has also succeeded in subjecting the National Assembly to disrepute and institutional damage, which apparently contravened our internal standing rules and specifically, sections 24 and 33 of the Legislatives Houses Powers and Privileges Act.

“These clear violations of our internal code of legislative conduct must attract legislative sanctions against Jibrin.

“Nigerians should know that the statements and pronouncements made by Jibrin were mere misrepresentation of facts.

“Having realised that he is already consumed, he is now resorting to the court options, (in)which I believe he will lose out as well.”

Doguwa also threatened to personally sue Jibrin.

Azeez