By Olakunle Olafioye
SPEAKER of the Federal House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has challenged the United States of America to substantiate the allegations against three Nigerian lawmakers accused of sexual offences during their visit to the country few weeks ago.
The Speaker, while reacting to questions by Nigerians over the issue on his twitter handle, speakerdogara, said no evidence had been received on the allegation beyond the letter in which the lawmakers were accused of committing the offences.
“As we speak, no evidence has been put forward other than the letter sent to my office and copied to many others,” he tweeted.
The Speaker who noted that an accused person was presumed innocent until proven guilty said, “social media trial and conviction of the members alleged to have committed the offence is taking up arms against our laws.
“Together with the US Embassy in Nigeria, we will get to the bottom of this matter and until then let’s not be judgmental,” he tweeted.
Three Nigerian lawmakers – Mr. Mohammed Garba-Gololo (Bauchi State); Mr. Terse Gbillah (Benue State), and Mr. Samuel Ikon (Cross River State) were accused of committing sexual offences during a trip to the US to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Programme on Good Governance organised by the US government.
The three lawmakers were members of a team of 10 lawmakers nominated to attend the leadership programme, which took place in Cleveland, Ohio, between April 7 and 13 this year.
US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle had in a letter dated June 9 to the Speaker, accused Mr.Garba Gololo of grabbing a hotel worker and soliciting sex from her, while Mr. Mark Terseer Gbillah and Samuel Ikon allegedly requested that hotel parking attendants assist them to solicit prostitutes.
But the three lawmakers have consistently denied the allegation with Mr. Ikon insisting his reported involvement is a case of mistaken identity. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, had last Thursday, directed the investigation of the three members over the allegations.