convicted by a court in the United States of America and has threatened
to sue.
The Director-General of Femi/Wase Campaign, Jibril Abdulmumin, said at
a Press Conference in Abuja
that Gbajabiamila had never been accused of corruption and had no
corruption case in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH
” In the last few weeks, the media has been washed with once again what
has become a reoccurring fabrication of false accusations and outright
lies against the person of the Leader House of Representatives, Hon Femi
Gbajabiamila.
” The latest was a live press conference addressed yesterday by someone
claiming to be speaking on behalf of Coalition of United Political Party
CUPP. But for the publicity the press conference attracted, we would
have simply ignored the baseless and unfounded allegations.
For the benefit of doubt, we wish to once again state emphatically clear
that Hon Femi Gbajabiamila has never been convicted for any crime in the
United States of America, Nigeria or any other country around the world
for that matter. He has never been accused of corruption and has no
corruption case hanging on his neck in Nigeria or any where around the
world. He has not committed Perjury and has never committed perjury in
Nigeria or any country of the world. He was eligible to contest in all
previous elections he won and indeed eligible and qualified to contest
for the office of Speaker House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.
Hon Femi has severally and comprehensively responded to these
allegations, provided clarifications and set records straight. The
allegations have also been tested and struck out in our court of law.
The State Bar of Georgia has also written and categorically stated that
“there is no criminal conviction in the matter relating to Hon Femi and
he is currently an active member in good standing of the State Bar of
Georgia” All these facts are in the public domain.
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. 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 5 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 falsehood 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 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 with other parties.
We wish to thank Mr President for the trust and support and further
assure him that we will not disappoint. Similarly we wish to thank our
party the APC and other parties that endorsed the candidacy of
Femi/Wase, Governors across party lines and most importantly hundreds of
Members elect that have kept our campaign going and signed to vote for
Hon Femi Gbajabiamila for speaker and Hon Ahmed Idris Wase as deputy
speaker.
Agents of destabilization who want to see the National Assembly
constantly in crisis and at war with other arms of government will fail.
Nigerians are tired of seeing such fights. Nigerians want to see
governance, peace and sustainable development. That is the cardinal
point of Hon Femi. That is the Speaker we offer to Nigeria.
We have a date with history.
Thank you and God bless