Finally, House of Reps receives petition by Diasporic Nigerians

▪︎How Speaker Gbajabiamila sealed deal, resolved crisis

House of Representatives on Tuesday received the controversial petition by Nigerians in the Diaspora which the Deputy Speaker, Rep Idris Wase rejected when he presided in the absence of the Speaker, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila.

The petition, which was originally presented by Rep Mark Gbillah on behalf of the Diasporic Tiv group, was represented and received by the House with Gbajabiamila presiding.

Gbajabiamila’s pacific move has brought to an end the rash of sustained reactions by Diasporic Nigerians and other sympathisers to the decision of the House when Wase presided.

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Rep Gbillah representing Gwer East-West Federal Constituency of Benue State had, two weeks ago, presented the petition on behalf of the Diasporic Tiv people from Benue State resident in the United States of America.

The House guided by Gbajabiamila discountenanced the earlier rejection of the petition on the grounds that the group lacked the locus to do so.

Wase had reportedly shut down the petition two by refusing it to be laid before the House.

Wase had argued and insisted that Nigerians in the Diaspora did not have the locus to send petition to the House since they were not in the right standing to do so.

Gbajabiamila’s intervention had doused the tension and bad blood that the rejection if the petition had caused in the Nigerian Diasporic community.

He had reportedly resolved the matter behind closed door and it was agreed that Rep Gbillah should re-present the petition.

He did so in plenary and Rep Gbajabiamila guided the House to accept it.

Gbajabiamila said that the House cannot and should not discriminate against any Nigerian wherever they may be in any part of the World.

Read him: “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 thanked Hon. Mark Gbillah for his patience.