Nigeria's senate warns US to remove Nigeria from "countries of interest list" or risk diplomatic row
Nigeria's senate has advised the United States of America (USA) to remove Nigeria from its "countries of interest list" or risk a diplomatic row. Senator Ayogu Eze who spoke on behalf of senate president, David Mark, said the senate would meet in a closed session on January 12 to deliberate further if the USA authorities refuse to rescind their decision.
Senator Ayogu Eze said “I am speaking on behalf of the Senate and on behalf of the Senate President to state categorically that we are very unhappy about the development and when we resume we are going to take this matter up seriously if America has not taken Nigeria off that list.
“We also want to advise America that it is in their own best interest to conduct this matter very well in a manner that will not result into diplomatic row between America and Nigeria because the American president had himself clearly admitted that this was a failure of the system and manpower of Americans and I don’t see where Nigeria comes in there.
“Moreover, this is just one instance of a Nigerian who it is clearly established has no link with any fundamentalist group or any interest group within Nigeria, not even with his parents. This was a boy whose disappearance was reported to security agencies, the American authorities, and all the relevant authorities and the American did nothing and for them to turn round to punish Nigerians for the sin of an isolated case like this is completely unacceptable to the Nigerian government and to the Nigerian Senate.
”We have also watched with keen interests several other breaches that have taken place since this boy’s attempt. There was an uninvited guest who went to the White House— he and his wife were found in the White House, that was not a Nigerian.
America should look inward and search their soul, there is something wrong with their system and they should not punish Nigerians who are very law-abiding and good international citizens for the failure and irresponsibility of American operatives. Nigeria will not take that.
“I think that it will be most unfair given the kind of relationship that has existed between America and Nigeria for America to jump to this kind of conclusion without even adequate consultations with the authorities in Nigeria. This is not acceptable to us and we are going to do whatever we can as a nation to prove to America that we will not take this.
“Our citizens who returned from different destinations, especially those who originated their flight from America went through hell in order to come to meet their kith and kin for the Christmas break and the harrowing experience has scared a lot of them who are even afraid to go back and some who are even afraid to originate their trips for genuine transaction in America arising from tales they got from their relations and friends, this must be stopped immediately. This is not how diplomacy is conducted.”
“We are going to engage all our diplomatic gear to ensure that we either have relationship with America or we don’t. We believe that America is a mature country, it is the model of democracy, all of us looked up to it and it has enjoyed very smooth and cordial diplomatic relationship with Nigeria. Nigeria has never been found wanting in her dealings with America.
“So, for them to embarrass this country with this kind of classification for no justification is completely unacceptable. It is not America alone that has citizens to whom the government is responsible, we also have citizens and we are responsible for them, we will not allow Nigerians to be molested wherever they go.
I think that this message should be put out clearly and when we resume, if the situation is still there, it is going to be one of the major issues that we are going to tackle and the Senate President has told me to state categorically that he is unhappy about this and being the chairman of the National Assembly, it means also on behalf of the National Assembly.”
http://www.bunibuni.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=253:nigerias-senate-warns-us-to-remove-nigeria-from-qcountries-of-interest-listq-or-risk-diplomatic-row&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=82 Posted: at 9-01-2010 10:08 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac |
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