•Accuser and accused should speed up full investigation
The raging controversy regarding allegation by the United States of America that three Nigerian lawmakers conducted themselves in a criminal manner during their recent visit to his country needs not be allowed to fester.
In April, 10 members of the House of Representatives went to Cleveland, Ohio, under the auspices of the International Visitor Leadership Program for Good Governance for enrichment of their legislative skills through special exposure to America’s legislative culture. After the return of the lawmakers to Nigeria, the U.S. Ambassador, James Entwistle, petitioned the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, about attempts by three of the members of the House to engage in criminal sexual acts.
Mr. Mohammed Gololo, All Progressives Congress (APC) representative from Bauchi is alleged to have grabbed a Renaissance Hotel housekeeper while soliciting for sex while Samuel Ikon, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representative from Akwa Ibom and Mark Gbillah, APC representative from Benue are alleged to have requested parking attendants at the same hotel to procure prostitutes for the visiting lawmakers. But the three lawmakers have denied these allegations, asking among other things, for video footage of their activities in the hotel and offering to be taken back to Cleveland to face their accusers.
Mr. Entwistle’s concern that the alleged misconduct by the lawmakers, if proven, would cast “a shadow on Nigeria’s National Assembly, International Visitor Leadership Program, and to the American hosts’ impression of Nigeria as a whole,’ in juxtaposition with the denial of the allegation by the three legislators, especially the claim by one of them that “this must be a case of mistaken identity… I have already instituted measures both legally and diplomatically to clear my name and the institution I represent,” confirms that both sides need to find a quick solution to an allegation that has started to acquire the status of urban mythology among Nigerians. The viral discussion of the allegation, particularly in the social media, is capable of casting shadow on the National Assembly. If left unsolved, the allegation also has the potential to adversely affect the good relationship between two of the world’s largest democracies.
The long tradition of good relations between the United States and Nigeria does not deserve to be threatened by allegation, as grievous as it is, of sexual misconduct by three lawmakers. Apart from being one of the active importers of Nigeria’s oil, the United States remains a major supporter in the fight against Boko Haram’s terrorism as well as being an active partner in the country’s fight against corruption. Nigeria is also one of America’s major supporters against international terrorism, particularly on the African continent.
Just as the Speaker of the Nigerian parliament states, both Nigeria and the United States are two democracies that believe that the accused is innocent until he or she is proven guilty. Given that the two countries believe in the primacy of rule of law, it shouldn’t be difficult to bring this matter to a desirable closure. The most respectable way to do this is for the United States to provide evidence that these misconducts happened as claimed by the primary accusers of the lawmakers; the housekeeper and the parking attendants at the Cleveland hotel. The American Ambassador should urge the State Department to respond to the readiness of the three National Assembly members to return to Cleveland to face their accusers, if necessary, in court.
When a similar allegation was made a few years back against a top French politician, Dominique Strauss-Khan, then head of the International Monetary Fund, the matter was quickly brought to a closure after speedy but thorough investigation. It is proper to apply the same quick and thorough investigation to the case of Gololo, Ikon, and Gbillah.
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