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Abike Dabiri reacts to Wase’s comments on Nigerian Diaspora community

Published

4 years ago

Mar 15, 2021.

Deputy House of Representatives speaker Idris Wase caused a stir after saying Nigerians in the diaspora have no business discussing matters happening in the country.
This was on the back of security problems occurring in different parts of the country which has posed a challenge for the government.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has asserted her confidence that the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila will deal with remarks made by his deputy Idris Wase about comments made by Nigerians in Diaspora.

Wase hit the spotlight recently when he made comments on the floor of the House suggesting Nigerians living overseas did not have the prerogative to delve into matters affecting the country.

This was after a House member, Mark Gbillah, representing Gwer East/Gwer West in Benue State, presented a petition from the Mzough U Tiv Amerika (MUTA), an association of Tiv people living in the United States.

EKO HOT BLOG gathered the Diaspora group were concerned about the security situation in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states which has seen communities fall apart in the wake of violent activities caused by herdsmen.

Wase, however, lashed out and said that diaspora Nigerians had no business commenting on national matters from their “comfort zones.”

“Honourable Gbillah, did you say Tivs in America? What do they know about Nigeria? What is their business? They can’t sit in their comfort zones and know what is happening in Nigeria,” Wase stated.

Wase’s remarks were not well received on social media and a Twitter user @AyodeleDaramola called Mrs Dabiri-Erewa’s attention to the video clip of Wase’s comments that was circulating, insisting on a need to lobby House members on such remarks, also saying the Nigerian Diaspora community should not be known for just sending remittances but also speaking on national issues.

I am confident @SpeakerGbaja will handle the issue appropriately https://t.co/1YyYNuMiGw

— The Crypto Shiba 💎 (@TheCryptoShib_) March 14, 2021

“@abikedabiri @nidcom_gov have you seen this, in case you missed it. We need to lobby the house members, the diaspora shouldn’t be there just to send remittances,” he said in his tweet.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa responded by saying: “I am confident @SpeakerGbaja will handle the issue appropriately.

Dabiri-Erewa was a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2015 and served as Chair of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs.

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