20th June, 2016
A cross section of Nigerians on Monday called on the National Assembly to be cautious while reacting to the sexual impropriety allegation against three legislators by the U.S. Government.
The three accused legislators are members of the House of Representatives.
A journalist, Mr. Johnchuks Onuanyim, said that the moral thing for the legislators to do was to resign pending the outcome of any inquiry by the house to unravel the truth.
“I don’t think that the Speaker of the house should have openly challenged the U.S. government the way he did.
“He should have carried out his investigations first by reaching out to the U.S. Ambassador and then setting up a panel of inquiry.
“If the evidence they requested comes out true, he has submitted even his own seat as Speaker to ridicule; other legislators can say that but definitely not the speaker.
“I don’t think the speaker should have challenged the American government that way.
“For the legislators, 10 of them went for the leadership programme and just three of them were singled out; they should be ashamed,’’ Onuanyim said.
A political analyst, Mr. Emma Okoro said that the lawmakers should be trained on conduct as legislators.
“It is shameful. Before the American government writes to you officially about an institution whether in America or out of America, they have their facts at their fingertips.
“I would urge the legislature to tread cautiously otherwise it will castigate our lawmakers and ridicule our national image.
“It says something terrible about how our lawmakers leave the shores of the land and get themselves involved in odious behaviours that are unbecoming of lawmakers.
“That for us as Africa’s beacon, it’s a big shame,’’ he said.
Mrs Arinola Olaosebikan, a politician, said “Nigeria does not need bad publicity at this time; it’s a shame that our legislators were caught pants down in this kind of terrible allegation.
“Not when we are trying to tell the World that we are honest, hardworking and law abiding people. Imagine the lawmakers breaking the laws of another land.
“Personally, I think that they should have gone with their wives or girlfriends if they knew they were sexually active than embarrass a whole nation. They should resign, apologise to their constituents and Nigerians.’’
A Senior Secondary School student, Betty Okoro, said that were she a daughter to any of the legislators, she would change school because the shame would be too much.
“I can’t imagine that my dad would be mentioned concerning a sex scandal; not that he got an award, not that he discovered a formula but that he went to solicit for sex abroad.
“My mates would persecute me for life for his misdeeds. I think it is wrong and shameful and does not teach us, the youth, any good moral,’’ she said.
The U.S. envoy to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, on June 9, petitioned the House of Representatives alleging sexual misconduct against three of its members while they were on a trip in Cleveland, Ohio, recently.
The accused members are Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Gololo (APC, Bauchi) and Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue).