By Chuks Iloegbunam
We must invite Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, to come to our immediate assistance. On
Thursday June 9, 2016, Mr. James F. Entwistle, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria ,
petitioned Speaker Dogara, accusing three members of the lower chamber of the
National Assembly of improper conduct, attempted rape and soliciting for
prostitutes while participating in a political programme in America
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| *Buhari |
The following is a part of the Ambassador’s
petition: “It is with regret that I must bring to your attention the following
situation. Ten members of the Nigerian National Assembly travelled to Cleveland , Ohio
“The U.S. mission
took pains to confirm these allegations and the identities of the individuals
with the employees of the hotel in Cleveland United States
The Ambassador requested “in the strongest
possible terms” that the Speaker should share his government’s apprehension
with the National Assembly so that the members will understand the “potential
consequences” of their actions. The Ambassador had acted appropriately. As was
to be expected, the matter sacked every other topic in the Nigerian media,
orthodox and social. Calls sprang from the four corners asking for the heads of
the accused legislators. Some, more merciful, demanded their imprisonment or,
at the very least, their letters of resignation. It was at this point of
cacophony that Speaker Dogara stepped in with a dose of fresh air. He called
the American Ambassador’s petition by its real name, which is Allegations. And
he tweeted severally: “He who alleges must prove. That’s the law. As we speak,
no evidence has been put forward other than the letter sent to my office and
copied to many others.”
