By Ewah Chika.
Mohammed Garba Gbolo (Bauchi), Samuel Ikon (Akwa Ibom) and Mark Gbillah (Benue) all have one thing in common and that is their indictment by the US for alleged sexual misconduct while away in the US.
This is a charge so vehemently denied by the accused lawmakers who are asking for evidence by the authorities. It is still early to conclude whether the charges are true considering they are yet to be proven beyond reasonable doubt or has any whiteness come out publicly to accuse the law makers.
What is shameful about the whole issue is why it has to be Nigerian lawmakers that are accused? Why are the same set of people who should be seen as role models in the society now the people publicly reported to be involved in sexual misconduct? It surely speaks bad of our country and paints us in bad light. Although the US have proven to be miles ahead of Nigeria in fighting corruption and upholding justice and the rule of law, it doesn't mean that whatever comes from them is a perfect truth, but judging from recent events, it is only a fool that will back the words or vouch for Nigerian politicians especially those of the present dispensation given that even the likes of Farouk Lawan, Salisu Buhari (former speaker of House of Representative who forged his Toronto University certificate), Patricia Etteh and Adolphus Wabara who were actively involved in corrupt practices, disgraced and maligned yet still maintained their innocence even alleging that the political enemy was at work in their life trying to paint them black. Can anything good come out of these same legislators whose speaker has been accused of padding the national budget in order to benefit a whopping N40 billion?
Who are these accused lawmakers in the world that the US stands to gain from cooking up stories against them to smear their image? Has the National Assembly even indicted their own member for corruption before? This only happens when their fellow member disagrees with his colleagues on the format for money sharing for as long as this doesn't happen then the House can remain silent as they continue patting each other's back.
To make matters worse, the House summoned the American Ambassador to appear before them . This smacks of foolishness and inability to decipher certain diplomatic laws, as the Ambassador is not answerable to the Nigerian government or country of posting but his country of appointment. As if that wasn't enough, just like one guilty and ready to do anything to cover up their sins, the accused Law makers marched to the US embassy and got so aggressive that they had to be walked out of the embassy with their visa's revoked. Are Nigerians represented by touts who are ignorant of diplomatic matters or are they represented by people who rigged their way to the House of Representative and yet to decipher that violence isn't tolerated by developed states?
"I told the lawmakers that revoking the visas might not have just been as a result of the allegations, but that their behaviour at the embassy here in Abuja certainly did not help their case.
"High-ranking officials should maintain the highest level of good behaviour, decency and basic- respect," Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said last week.
Firstly, Nigerian lawmakers have not only disgraced themselves but Nigerians with their unholy and irresponsible behaviour as it is seemingly clear they have skeletons in their cupboard. Finally, there is a still a long way to go for Nigerian lawmakers as they have been exposed of not only lacking basic knowledge about diplomatic matters but also lacking knowledge on how to properly behave. This is a really bad period for the country as the National Assembly continue breaking records for the negative reasons.
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