The Speaker of the Federal House of
Representatives Yakubu Dogara has stated in clear terms that he cannot be
interrogated or investigated by any law enforcement agency over the allegation
of his involvement in the padding of the 2016 budget.
He
said he was acting under extant laws that gave him and other house members the
privilege to carry out his legislative duties without fear of arrest or
intimidation.
The
Speaker who was speaking to civil societies and journalists in Abuja in an
interactive session to commemorate the one year assessment of the house of
representatives legislative agenda said he has refused to be interrogated by
the police special investigation panel over the allegation because no agency of
government has the power or right to pry into the activities of the House.
“Most of the things we do in the National Assembly are privileged”, he said.
He described the 2016 budget as a
controversial document that would not have seen the light of the day if not for
the maturity, and the democratic mechanism of dialogue, negotiation and
consensus employed by the House and Senate.
He
cited the Lagos-Calabar Rail project and the paltry budget of N250 a day for
prisoners as sections of the budget that were tinkered and inserted into the
budget.
“The worst thing that can happen is that if
anyone disagrees with the law, he takes it before the courts. That is the
beauty of separation of powers”.
