Reps Mandate Committees To Probe US Sex Scandal
The House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Ethics and Privileges; and Foreign Affairs to investigate the alleged sexual misconduct levelled against three members of the House.
The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of a motion sponsored under Order 6, Rules 2 and 22 of the House Standing Orders by one of the accused, Hon. Mark Terseer Gbillah (APC, Benue), at plenary yesterday.
Recall that the House had on Thursday, June 16, 2016, promised to investigate the alleged misconduct involving the three lawmakers, who attended an International Visitor Leadership Program in the United States of America sometime in April this year, after the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwhistle, had written a letter of complaint on the matter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara on Thursday, June 9, 2016.
The lawmakers are Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo (APC, Bauchi), Hon. Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Gbillah (APC, Benue). They were accused of soliciting for sex while in the US. They have however denied the allegations.
While moving the motion, Gbillah described the action of the United States Ambassador as a move to tarnish the image of the accused lawmakers in particular and the Green Chamber as a whole.
The lawmaker noted that no such incident occurred as reported by the Ambassador to Dogara, calling on Entwhistle to provide Nigeria with proof that they actually committed such crime.
Gbillah further said that none of the accused persons was interrogated by the US, hence the need not to draw conclusion on the matter until it was properly investigated.
For her part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, said the matter should be taken with utmost responsiveness so as not to jeopardise Nigeria-US relationship.
Meanwhile, the Speaker urged Nigerians to tread with caution until the persons are proven guilty while urging the relevant committees to handle the matter in line with international best practices.
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