BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday laid to rest the controversy that had so trailed the petition of the Diaspora Tiv people from Benue State resident in the United States of America.
This followed the acceptance of the petition which was represented by Hon. Mark Gbillah, who the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase deliberately shutdown two weeks ago by refusing it to be laid before the House.
Hon. Wase, had argued that and insisted that Nigerians in Diaspora did not have the locus to send petition to the House since they were not in the right standing to do so.
However, the position of the Deputy Speaker, Hon Wase attracted a lot of widespread condemnation and odium from Nigerians in different parts of the World with some of the Diaspora Nigerians threatening to stop further remittance of their earnings back home.
Forefront News gathered that owing to the controversy it generated and the possible backlash on the image of the House, Speaker Gbajabiamila intervened in the matter behind closed door and appealed to Hon. Mark Gbillah representing Gwer East-West Federal Constituency of Benue State, to present the petition again today being Tuesday and it was accordingly accepted by the House.
Gbajabiamila, who took the shine off his deputy, said that the House of Representatives cannot and should not discriminate against any Nigerian wherever they may be in any part of the World.
In the words of Gbajabiamila; “I believe this is the same petition that has been causing a lot of misunderstanding. The misunderstanding came based on the issue of signature.
“Having cleared the misunderstanding, please, go ahead and lay your petition to be given proper attention”
Speaker Gbajabiamila then thanked Hon. Mark Gbillah for his patience.
