Politics
Gowon advises Dogara, Lasun, Jibrin, others on budget padding
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has advised against budget padding and called for investigation into the allegation of such in the House of Representatives.
He expressed shock over the allegations plaguing the House of Representatives, saying that nobody made any attempt to pad budget during his time. He advised those involved to stop in the interest of the nation.
Gen. Gowon (retired) said this on Wednesday in a chat with journalists during the Free Health Caravan for hepatitis test and vaccination event put together by SHEAM Health Care Foundation at the Ooni Palace in Ile Ife, Osun state.
He was responding to the allegation by Abdulmumin Jibrin, former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, that Speaker Dogara, the deputy speaker, Lasun Yusuf, House whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and minority leader, Leo Ogor padded the budget.
Gowon said, “If that is true, if anybody is doing that, the person should be checked and stopped to ensure that such does not occur in the future.
“We didn’t do it during my time. We had the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in charge of our finance during my time and he taught us how to survive without borrowing. Such should stop, there is no point doing that.”
Gowon also called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to urgently fix the economy and find solutions to numerous challenges currently facing the country in order to be able to boost the confidence of Nigerians.
Read also: This fight against corruption not meaningful yet -Kukah
“I have left government for a long time, so I may not really know what the problem is. The current administration should do whatever they can to solve the economic challenge. They should find a way to restore confidence in citizens and the nation at large by fixing the economy,” Gowon said.
Gowon was Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took over power after a military coup d’état and was overthrown in another by Murtala Mohammed.
During his rule, the Nigerian government prevented Biafran secession during the 1967–70 Nigerian Civil War.
By Ebere Ndukwu …
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