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Benue diaspora petition: Gbajabiamila overrules deputy, apologises to the Tivs
BY KAZIE UKO
The controversy generated by the rejection of a petition filed by a group of Benue State indigenes in diaspora, by the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, may have been put to rest.
House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, while presiding over the session on Tuesday accepted the petition, after it was represented by the lawmaker representing Gwer-East/Gwer-West Federal Constituency, Benue State, Mark Gbillah.
Wase had prevented Gbillah from laying the petition written by the Mutual Union of Tiv in America (MUTA) before the House when he (Wase) presided over the plenary on March 10, 2021.
The deputy speaker had argued that the Benue indigenes who are leaving in the United States of America cannot complain about what is happening in Nigeria because they do not leave in Nigeria.
He claimed that the House does not entertain petitions from outside the country, asking the Benue lawmaker if MUTA was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
READ: Nigerians in diaspora write Buhari, demand justice for murdered member
Gbillah, apparently bemused by Wase’s position, had faulted the Deputy Speaker, stating that the Nigerian Constitution gives Nigerians the freedom of association, adding that the House has committees that handle issues relating to foreign affairs and Nigerians in the diaspora.
However, Wase stuck to his gun, saying he was not convinced that Nigerians in America could protest against insecurity in Nigeria, and consequently ruling that the House would not admit the petition.
Admitting the petition, Gbajabiamila said: “I believe this is the same petition that has been causing a lot of misunderstanding. The misunderstanding came from the issue of signature.
“Having cleared that misunderstanding, please, go ahead and lay your petition to be given proper attention.
“Thank you Hon Mark Gbillah. Thank you for your patience. Apologies to the Tiv people… Please go ahead and lay your petition it will be given proper and due attention.”