The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, made a ‘no show’ at the Joint House of Representatives Committee’ sitting and his absence stalled the public hearing on alleged sexual misconduct leveled against three members. A new date of July 20, 2016 has been fixed for the public hearing.
Political Economist had earlier reported that the public hearing may not hold on account of intense lobbying by some concerned members who do not want the so-called rapes (if any) made public.
Three members of the House of Representatives were accused of sexual misconduct in the US during a training programme. They are Mohammed Gololo (APC, Bauchi), Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue). Gololo was alleged to have grabbed a room attendant in a forceful demand for sex, the other two men were said to have solicited the support of car park attendants at the Marriot Hotel where they were lodged, to arrange prostitutes for them.
The three men, who have vehemently denied the allegations, were part of a ten-member parliamentary delegation to Cleveland to attend a leadership immersion course at the instance of the US States Department.
A joint committee comprising the Committee on Ethics and Privileges and Foreign Relations was tasked by the House to investigate the allegations. Members of the joint panel had invited the U.S. Ambassador to the public hearing to prove his allegation via a letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara that the members had solicited for sex.
Members of the committee, the accused persons, the press and other interested parties were already at the venue of the hearing only to be informed of a letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, pleading that the hearing be postponed due to his participation at the ongoing African Union summit.
The Committee had requested Mr. Onyeama to accompany the U.S. Ambassador to the investigative hearing where he would be expected to provide video evidence of the alleged sexual misconduct.
Chairman of the joint committee, Ossai Ossai explained that “the minister, in a letter brought to me yesterday, had pleaded with the committee that he is away for the African Union (AU) summit holding in Kigali, Rwanda” and that “a postponement of the hearing be made till he returns”.
Ossai expressed optimism that Onyeama and Entwistle would show up on July 20 to give their own accounts on the matter.
Nnenna Ukeji, Chairperson, House Committee on Foreign Affairs said the diplomatic angle to the matter will be handled in line with the Vienna Convention of 1961.
