Wase: NIDO petitions Gbajabiamila, demands apology from Deputy Speaker
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) worldwide has demanded an “unconditional public apology” from Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, for castigating it as intruder and disallowing his colleague from submitting a petition.
In a protest letter to the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, NIDO demanded full retraction of Wase’s “unfortunate statement” and that Rep. Mark Gilbah be allowed to re-present his petition on behalf of Mutual Unions of Tiv in America (MUTA) as concerned group of Nigerians in Diaspora.
In the petition, MUTA had raised concerns over the plight of the Tiv people whose ancestral lands had been taken over by killer herdsmen and have been in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps for years.
Our Correspondent reports that NIDO’s letter was e-signed by its chapter chairmen in Europe, Americas, Asia, Oceanic and Africa and copied President Muhammadu Buhari,, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission.
NIDO said that Wase, while presiding over the House plenary last Thursday, made “disparaging and derogatory statements to vilify all Nigerians in Diaspora and putting to doubt our citizenship, privileges and rights as Nigerians.
“Wase openly displayed total ignorance of the provisions of the Constitution that allows for dual citizenship, with rights and privileges of the Diaspora to call to the attention of the Federal Government on issues of common concerns.
“He castigated the Nigerians in Diaspora as intruders and persons of no locus standi on issues bothering on Nigerians socio-economic well-being.
“He showed without self-restrain, his hatred and disdain for the Nigerians in Diaspora,” NIDO said.
The organization said that Wase’s utterances rubbished 20 years of Federal Government’s Diaspora Engagement at a time when the contributions of the Nigerians in Diaspora are highly needed and desired.
“With Wase’s disposition, the $23billion yearly remittances (according to World Bank records), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), medical missions, community development programmes and professional skills transfer, amongst others, that Nigerians in Diaspora, routinely brings into the economy of Nigeria should also be seen as unwelcoming distractions and undesirable,” it said.
According to NIDIO, it is the fundamental right of the Nigerians in Diaspora to intervene in respect of their kinsmen back home.
The organization therefore asked the Speaker to convene an urgent Virtual Meeting with NIDO within 14 days to address the issue and to reassure it of his full support, failing which it might be compelled to call out all Nigerians in Diaspora to withhold further home remittances with immediate effect.
Speaking with our Correspondent in an interview, Dr Bashir Obasekola, Chairman, NIDO Europe said:
“We have the right to approach the government about our common concerns through petitions or demonstrations, if possible.
“The Constitution of Nigeria recognises dual citizenship and based on that, we have the same rights as Nigerians in the home country.
“Being in foreign countries does not make us less of concerned Nigerian citizens.
“We, the Nigerians in Diaspora worldwide (Nigerians in Europe, Americas, Asia, Oceania, Middle-East and Africa) are totally appalled by his statements and saddened that none of the House Members objected the Deputy Speaker’s stand,” Obasekola said.
