Gbajabiamila accepts rejected Diaspora petition
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, accepted a petition filed by the Mutual Union of Tiv in America.
The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, had earlier prevented the law maker representing Gwer-East/Gwer-West federal Constituency in Benue State, Mr. Mark Gbillah, from presenting the petition before the House.
Gbillah succeeded in laying the petition during Tuesday’s plenary.
While declaring Gbillah to lay 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. Thanks Hon. Mark Gbillah. Thank you for your patience”.
Wase, who presided over the plenary on March 10, 2021, had prevented Gbillah from laying the petition, a development that created wide criticism”.
He claimed that the House did not entertain petitions from outside the country, asking the Benue lawmaker if MUTA was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The Deputy Speaker had also said he was not convinced that Nigerians in America could protest against insecurity in Nigeria, ruling that the House would not admit the petition.
Gbillah had faulted Wase, stating that the constitution gave Nigerians the freedom of association, adding that the House had committees that handled issues relating to foreign affairs and Diaspora.
