Chief Convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Justice and Equity, CCSO-JE, Comrade Olayemi Success, has called on the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to relinquish his membership of the House and the exalted Speakership position.

The Coalition, which has already mandated one of its members, Global Integrity Crusade Network, GICN, to approach an Abuja Federal High Court to seek an order sacking and demanding the prosecution of Gbajabiamila, asserted that public office holders in the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative arms of government must be those who exhibit a high level of integrity, discipline and transparency.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Olayemi Success stated that public offices should be seen as being held in trust for the benefit of the masses, lamenting that: “it is saddening to know that Femi Gbajabiamila who hitherto held himself high in the House of Representatives as an integrity activist has a huge skeleton in his cupboard. In fact, the best option for the man is to honourably step aside as Member cum Speaker of the House.

“He should tow the path of Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim Buhari who, upon mere indictment for perjury and falsification of age before contesting the 1999 General Election, tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians and resigned his Speakership position,” he said.

CCSO-JE maintained that if a former Speaker of the House of Reps, Salisu Buhari could be convicted for official corruption under then President Olusegun Obasanjo and made to pay a fine, “we wonder why the same thing will not happen under President Muhammadu Buhari. We are confident that Mr. President being a man of honour known across the world would not stoop so low to intervene in this case. As for the Judiciary, we wish to restate that the whole world is watching to see whether this case will be swept under the carpet.”

Meanwhile, GICN’s Director of Research and Evaluation, Akan Augustine Eneji, in an affidavit in support of Originating Summons in the Network’s suit at the Federal High Court Abuja, claimed that Gbajabiamila (who is the 1st Defendant in the case) had been indicted for fraudulently using the Social Security Number (SSN) of one Mildred E. Blakeney who was discovered to have died on 2nd July, 1995.

"That the 1st Defendant has records of duplicating his date of birth in the USA for purposes of closing and sealing some negative reports about himself, which were later unlocked by private investigators. Brief Summary of Background Check on the 1st Defendant is hereby attached as EXHIBIT GICN 9.

“That the 1st Defendant was known for operating under different names from 12th January, 1998 to 5th January, 2002 in the USA with intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public who crossed his path either in business or law practice.

“That the 1st Defendant has a record of several infractions of the law in the USA bordering on tax evasion, credit card offences and unsatisfied civil judgment which depicts him as a person not fit to lead the 9th House of Representatives,” the affidavit read in part.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/coalition-calls-for-resignation-of-house-of-reps-speaker/