Speakership race: Gbajabiamila threats legal action over alleged character assassination ……..says he is not an ex- convict
The race for the Speaker of 9th National Assembly is getting hotter by the days as one of the leading aspirant and the annointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has vowed to file suit of criminal defamation of character against some persons said to be behind the smear campaign on his candidature.
The Director-General of the Femi Gbajabiamila/ Idris Wase campaign council Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin (Kano, APC) who addressed a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja said that the reports in some sections of the media that Gbajabiamila was convicted by the Supreme Court of State of Georgia is a hatchet job done to puncture his candidature and smear his reputation.
He said that the APC’s annointed candidate Femi Gbajabiamila has never committed any perjury in Nigeria and or in any other country of the world. He said that the lawmaker has already instructed his lawyers to file court case against those behind the smear campaign on his candidature.
According to him, “we further wish to state that Hon Femi has not been served any summons by a Magistrate Court neither has he been notified by the Clerk of the National Assembly, We are worried that those behind this antics are trying to drag the Judiciary and our revered judges to what is clearly a hatched job. The Judiciary must not allow itself to be mixed in such cocktail of dirts
“This campaign of calumny is orchestrated to poison the minds of our leaders against Hon Femi which has failed woefully. Now the agenda is to smear his reputation through ‘creation of illusion of truth’. An idea of repeated lying until people are forced to believe
“We urge the general public to disregard the falsehoods being peddled around. It is also very strange that a private citizen or organization will be filing criminal charges against an individual. From our understanding of legal procedure that can only be done by the state. Hon Femi in his usual manner has maintained a dignified silence knowing truth to be a constant. However he has now instructed his lawyers to take every necessary legal step against all those involved their 3 Parliamentary conspirators and sponsors to seek redress and sue for defamation with immediate effect
“Indeed Femi on his own has put this matter out there in the public domain in the biography titled fearless written by Wale Okediran a former colleague 6 years ago. Page 25 to be precised where he comprehensively addressed the matter. We remain focused and undeterred and prepared for what ever antics they may further unfold
“What ever they choose to do and how ever, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon Ahmed Idris Wase will be on the floor on the 11th live and direct to be elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively to take over from Speaker Dogara who ceases to be Speaker from tomorrow Thursday 6th June 2019 after our valedictory session
“Hon Femi has had a successful private legal practice career both in Nigeria and abroad. He has had a distinguished career in the parliament being a 5th term Member and rising all the way in the legislature to minority leader and subsequently majority leader. A feet only him holds in the history of Nigeria parliament. He is a loyal Nigeria and party man. He is upright, honest, hard working, competent, level headed, team player and a uniting force
“He demonstrated this clearly after losing the last election narrowly in 2015. He accepted defeat with grace and as always demonstrated absolute loyalty to Speaker Dogara and the institution of the house despite having the latitude to revolt and make the house ungovernable. He has worked tirelessly supporting his friends but some of them including me let him down in 2015. I have since repented and Iam also calling on all others to repent and seek forgiveness in their own interest. 2019 is not 2015, will not be 2015 and shall never be 2015. The two circumstances are different in so many ways. Femi will win. As the famous singer Shakira sang, This time is for Femi. And of course Wase!
“Before any endorsement, Hon Femi was first our choice. We the members decided he is the Speaker we want. His candidature has received the largest number of endorsement across party lines by any Speakership Aspirant. He has been endorsed by his colleagues members elect, the president, party leaders, Governors and other stake holders across party lines. It is no wonder he remains the clear favourite to win the Speakership race
“Quite disturbing is the fact that the person who addressed the press conference yesterday in his usual pattern went beyond Hon Femi and attacked Mr President, parties, Governors and other leaders through spreading of outright false hood and hate speeches capable of causing tension and security problem across the land. We have written petition to the Inspector General of police and other security agencies to get to the bottom of this matter and take all necessary action against him and his sponsors who we have reliable information who they are
“Apparently the sponsors of this blackmail have by their words conceded victory to Hon Femi. It is curious that they made so much emphasis on the need to keep our voting secret in an era when Nigerians are calling for transparency in our parliament. While noting that the National Assembly is not a secret cult. For us, secret or open ballot, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila will win. Yes, he will
“We wish to reinstate that Hon Femi will run an all inclusive house with all the parties carried along in running the affairs of the house, committees and other responsibilities. It is no surprise that we adopted the slogan “Nation Building – A Joint Task”. and rainbow coalition. So far we have secured endorsement of a part of the PDP caucus and other parties
“We are also in talks with the other part of the PDP caucus and hopefully we will conclude today. We do this in firm belief on the need to bring everyone on board. However we had already secured the numbers to win the speakership race weeks ago. Our party the APC has clarified that we are free to negotiate”.
it is recalled that on Tuesday, Chairman of the Coalition of Political Parties in Nigeria CUPP Barr. Ikenna Ugochinyere addressed a press conference in Abuja alleging that Gbajabiamila was convited in the United State for perjury and so was not qualified to vie for the speaker of the 9th National Assembly.
