EFCC can't probe me over budget padding, says Dogara

Abuja - Embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cannot investigate him over allegations of budget padding due to immunity accorded to him.

According to a Naij report, Dogara made his utterances during a forum in Abuja, while stating that the laws governing the National Assembly allowed for greater immunity for lawmakers on the basis that they were exercising their legislative duties.

"It doesn’t even make sense and they have forgotten about Section 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, and others” which says "most of the things we do in the National Assembly are privileged.

"They cannot be grounds for any investigation on the procedure or proceedings to commence against a member of parliament, either the Speaker or the President of the Senate, once they are done in the exercise of their proper functions," Dogara said.

In the face of a number of calls for his resignation, Dogara stated that ignorance regarding legislative duties is to blame for outrage exhibited against lawmakers from the side of Nigerian citizens.

In addition, Dogara stated that the National Assembly would therefore embark on a massive sensitization campaign in order to make the public aware of the duties bestowed upon the legislature, Premium Timesreports.