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


Posted by Samuel Ike at 9:36:00
http://pircalebsblog..com.ng/2016/08/press-release-coalition-of-concerned.htm