Idris Wase, deputy speaker of the house of representatives,
has denied ruling that Nigerians living in the diaspora cannot submit a
petition on issues affecting them back home.
In a statement on Monday, Wase said he is not in doubt of
their eligibility to file petitions and is only concerned about the legal
identity of the group in question.
NigerianEye had reported how Wase rejected a petition from the
‘Mutual Union of the Tiv in America’ when he presided over the plenary session
last Thursday.
The petition which was presented by Mark Terseer Gbillah
from Benue, accused the federal government of not resettling the Tiv people
displaced through various as a result of the farmers-herders crises.
Before ruling against it, Wase had asked if the group was
registered with the Corporate Affairs of Commission (CAC), stating: “I am not
convinced that somebody from America can come here and then delaying issues in
Nigeria.”
The video of the exchange during the plenary session:
His comments had generated widespread criticisms with many
accusing him of turning a blind eye on the plight of the displaced persons.
‘MY ARGUMENT WAS ABOUT LEGALITY OF PETITIONERS’
Reacting via a statement signed by Umar Puma, his chief
press secretary, the deputy speaker said his contention was on the “legality of
the petitioners and not on whether Nigerians in the diaspora have a right to
petition the house or not”.
“To set the records straight, let it be categorically stated
that the crux of the encounter between the Deputy Speaker, presiding as
Speaker, and Honorable Mark Gbillah was on the LEGAL IDENTITY (and flowing from
that, the LOCUS) of the Petitioners and not on the whether Nigerians in the
diaspora have a right to petition the House or not,” the statement read.
“The House of Representatives belongs to all Nigerians and
can be accessed by all Nigerians wherever they may reside. However, like other
arms of Government, (such as Courts of Law), Petitioners must follow laid down
rules and procedures in presenting their petitions to the House, otherwise,
there would be lawlessness, disorder and chaos.
“Note that as a Rule, every Petition must be presented by a
Sponsor on behalf of an identifiable Petitioner who can either be an
individual/groups of individuals or registered corporate entity.
“In the current incident, the Sponsor of the Petition read
the Petitioners as: ASSOCIATION OF TIVS RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES. For any
experienced Parliamentarian, this very coinage raises a lot of technical
questions.
“Are the Petitioners represented here in Nigeria via a
Nigerian Office or a Legal Practitioner or are they totally absent from the
scene? Are they registered as an Association with the Corporate Affairs
Commission? If they are absent and a hearing were to be organized, who would
the members of the Committee on Public Petition be addressing, questioning or
interrogating? Would the Petitioners be able to give first-hand witness
testimony as to the issues raised in their petition? These and other technical
complications were what the Deputy Speaker tried to interrogate, to which
sufficient answers were not provided thus stalling the presentation of the
Petition.”
Wase added that while the house has in the past entertained
petitions, those submitted were “properly presented before the House without
any ambiguity as to the identity of the Petitioners or as to their locus and
availability to speak to the issues raised in such Petitions.”
“The Deputy Speaker reiterates the commitment of the 9th
House of Representatives to continue to promote freedom of speech and
associations as well as provide platforms for all Nigerians irrespective of their
religions or tribes or whether resident in Nigeria or in the diaspora; while
also upholding the sacred principles, rules and procedures of parliamentary,”
the statement added.
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