Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, will on Friday, August 5, 2016, barring any last minute change in schedule, grant audience to Yakubu Dogara, speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives who has been accused of padding the country’s budget.
According to the Punch, the raging controversy over the alleged padding of the 2016 budget would form a major part of the discussion at the meeting.
A source from the presidency said on Thursday, August 4, 2016 that scheduled meeting between the President and the Speaker was at the instance of Dogara.
The source said the Speaker might have sought for an audience with the President to explain his side of the story.
He said Buhari agreed to meet Dogara in his office after Jumat prayers.
He said, “The President will be meeting with the Speaker after Jumat on Friday (today).
“The meeting will hold around 2.30pm in the President’s office.
“There is nothing unusual in the two leaders meeting. They do so regularly, but I know this one is at the instance of the Speaker.”
When asked if Dogara would seek the President’s protection against investigation and prosecution, the source said Buhari’s position on corruption was known to all.
“We all know the President’s position on corruption. With that, I don’t think the Speaker will make any demand on him apart from stating his side of the story,” he said.
The special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had in a recent interview given an indication that Buhari would not interfere in the House of Representatives’ matters, especially as it concerns the padding allegations.
“This is purely a matter for the House of Representatives to deal with,” Adesina had said
