NIDCOM Seeks Intervention Of Speaker, Gbajabiamila, Over Infuriating Comments By Deputy Against Diasporans

The Chairperson/CEO of Nigerians In Diaspora Commission [NIDCOM], Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to use his good office and Intervene in the looming crisis between the Nigerian Diasporan Community and the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, over alleged infuriating comments by the Wase.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker, with reference number NIDC/CM/001/20/1, the Chairperson noted that her office has received series of petitions from some diasporans who felt aggressed by an incident which occurred on the floor of the House, which has received wide publicity on social media.

The said letter which was dated the 15th day of March, 2021, and obtained by TheNigeriaLawyer, further noted that, according to the viral video, the Deputy Speaker of the House, had made comments suggesting that the concerns of Nigerians in Diaspora are of a secondary nature and as such insignificant, as well as comments which somewhat questioned their citizenship.

“I wish to inform Your Excellency that this Office is in receipt of Numerous Complaint on issue that happened on the floor of the House which has gone viral on social media. In this viral video, it appears that the Deputy Speaker was made comments which suggested that issues concerning Nigerians in the Diaspora are somewhat insignificant” the letter reads in part.

Recall that TheNigeriaLawyer had previously reported that, the Deputy Speaker had refused the diasporan community the opportunity to be heard during plenary, a position he yet again defended on Monday, insisting that he was right to deny Nigerians abroad the right to be heard, and noting that in accordance with parliamentary rules, only registered individuals and groups had the locus to file petitions to the parliament, a category he somewhat suggested that the diasporan community does not fall into.

The problem started on March 12, 2021, during a plenary session, when another lawmaker attempted to present a petition from Nigerians of Tiv origin living in the United States of America, only to have the petition blocked by the Deputy Speaker, on the basis that ‘they [the Tiv diasporans] can’t sit in their comfort zones and know what is happening in Nigeria’, a comment which has received numerous backlash on social media.