A new twist has been introduced in the race for the Speaker of the House of Representatives as a group of lawyers have dragged one of the leading candidates, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila before an Abuja Federal High court seeking his disqualification to hold any public office in Nigeria.
In an originating summon filed before Abuja Federal High court yesterday by Registered Trustees of Social Justice and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative, the lawyers are seeking for an order of the court declaring Gbajabiamila not fit and proper person to be elected member of the House of Representatives.
An order of injunction restraining the House of Representatives and the Attorney General of the Federation from accepting nomination of the first defendant (Gbajabiamila) for office of speaker of the House. An order of injunction restraining him from parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives and also an aspirant to the office of the speaker.
The suit was entered by Chukwuma Nwachukwu Esq and Osita K. Nwaikpo Esq of Law Bond Solicitors, Abuja.
In an affidavit in support of the originating summons, the lawyers said they have recently discovered that Gbajabiamila was convicted in the United States of America in the state of Goergia for unethical practices and was debarred for 36 months on 26 February, 2007 by the Supreme Court of Georgia “That I also discovered that Gbajabiamila has a United States international passport even though he has Nigerian descent which contravened our constitution as regards membership of the House of Representatives
“That the mood of the nation today will not warrant placing the position of speaker of the House of Representatives in the hands of any individual with tainted character by possessing American passport as a citizen which supposes that Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has pledged his allegiance to another country contrary to the provision of section 66(1) (a) of the constitution which provides thus: “No person shall be qualified for election to the senate or the House of Representatives if (a) subject to the provisions of section 28 of this constitution, he has voluntarily anchored the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or except, in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, has made declaration of allegiance to such a country.”
Now, if true, this will be interesting.
I was so counting on him succeeding as Speaker