COALITION OF CONCERNED CITIZENS
WITH LIKE MINDS
BEING
A PRESS RELEASE BY THE TRIO OF, GLOBAL
AWARENESS FOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, VOLUNTEER
AWARENESS NETWORK MOVEMENT
AND COALITION
FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF COALITION OF
CONCERNED CITIZENS WITH LIKE MINDS ON THE ALLEGATION OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AGAINST
THREE NIGERIAN LEGISLATORS ON OFFICIAL ASSIGNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
THEME: SEXUAL MISBEHAVIOR OR
BRUTAL/RACIAL OPPRESSION
Respected Gentlemen,
women and stakeholders of the press, our attention has been drawn to serious
allegations/claims made by the United States Government through its ambassador
to Nigeria, James Entwistle against
three highly respected honorable members of the Federal House of
Representative, Nigeria. In a 9th June petition addressed to the
Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara,
the ambassador allegedly accused these three lawmakers, Hon. Mark Terseer Gbillah (Gwer
East/Gwer West, Benue State), Hon.
Samuel Ikon (Etinam/Nsit Ibom/Nsit
Ubium, Akwa Ibom State), and Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo (Gamawa, Bauchi State), of committing
what he termed ‘sexual misbehavior’.
Recall that, between
the 7th to the 13th of April this year, ten honorable
members were selected and subsequently invited by the United States Government
to attend, the International Visitor Leadership Program on good governance, in
Cleveland, Ohio. The US authorities claimed they received misconduct report
from some employees of the Marriot hotel in Cleveland where the honorable
members lodged. These horrible allegations were very explicit. Hear Mr Entwistle “Mohammed Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and
solicited for sex. Mark Terseer and Samuel Ikon purportedly requested the hotel
parking attendants assist them solicit prostitutes”. To further add salt to
injury, the US mission in Nigeria hurriedly cancelled/revoked the visas issued
to the lawmakers barring them from future trips to the United State. This is a
gross misuse/abuse of power and a flagrant disregard of the rights/privileges
of these lawmakers. Also, it is pertinent to note this very simple but hard truth;
He who asserts must prove, meaning an accused stands innocent until
proven/pronounced guilty and enjoys the benefit of any doubt. But even as we
speak, the erstwhile US ambassador to Nigeria and also a runaway diplomat has
failed to provide any evidence, or has he indicated any interest to present any
corroborative proof to support his country’s spurious accusations against these
highly esteemed lawmakers of our great nation.
Furthermore, the fact
that the alleged misconduct occurred in April, but it took the US a whole month
to petition the Speaker; a country which prides itself on its ability to give
an accused person fair hearing and dispense quick justice, left a lot to be
desired and clearly there is an ulterior motive. Why didn’t the US security
agency confront these lawmakers with the allegation? In Hon. Mohammed Gololo’s case, how is it possible for him to attempt
to rape a lady in his hotel room without the lady screaming? In a
technologically advanced country like the US with its up-to-date CCTV cameras,
why were video footages not presented as evidence against them? These and many
unanswered questions have countered these accusations, making it false,
speculative, a terrible blunder and a complete blackmail to malign/tarnish not
just the good image of these legislators, but also the integrity of the Nigeria
State among the league of nations. Ours is not a perfect society, but we would
not blackmail any nation or its citizens without substantial evidence.
In view of the aforementioned,
the personality, integrity and diplomatic competence of James Entwistle have been brought to disrepute, as he is nothing
but a mere rubble-rouser and a reckless diplomat who is not fit to represent
the US in Nigeria. He made these unfounded allegations without any shred of
evidence. This is an affront to the National Assembly and a big mockery of our
sensibility as a people. These are plain trumped up charges by certain
individuals using their authoritative positions to gravely ridicule the good people
of Nigeria and by extension, Africa. We also believe these are all part of a
grand plan and concerted effort to project black people as having weak and
loose morals. This is not the first embarrassment we have received from western
countries, but this is one too many, and we vow to make it the last, as we will
do everything within our powers and the confines of the law to put an end to
this bullying attitude of this self acclaimed saints (USA).
People of the press and
fellow Nigerians, it is against this backdrop and out of passion, love and
concern for this great nation that we make bold to say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. A lawmaker anywhere in the world is a
representative of his country everywhere he goes. This is the reason why we as
proud Nigerians cannot sit and do nothing while our representatives are
humiliated, defaced and unjustly accused of sexual misbehavior. A congressman in the United States is treated
with utmost respect, and such a person will not accept any form of unjustified
allegation against his/her personality especially by another country.
We as civil society
groups in Nigeria who stand to uphold peace, equity, social justice and
transparency are severely worried by the fact that Mr. James Entwistle who was the US ambassador to Nigeria breached
protocol by writing a petition to the Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, instead of writing
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey
Onyeama. The same James Entwistle, arrogantly
rebuffed the National Assembly by turning down an invitation from the Federal
House of Representatives. It is also confirmed that no evidence was tendered
alongside the allegations, as the estranged
hotel employees have
refused to testify to all the allegations they purportedly made. It is also
very disheartening to know that the visas of these honorable representatives
were revoked without giving them fair hearing.
We therefore call on
members of the public, the press and every other well meaning countryman/woman
to stand up against this show of disrespect to our lawmakers and by extension
our great nation. We urge you all to remain calm and resolute as we MUST see to a fair conclusion of
this matter.
Long
live Civil Society Groups in Nigeria
Long
live Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Benue states
Long
live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Thank you all