The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the circumstances surrounding the allegations made by British MP, Tom Tugendhat, that former Military ruler, Yakubu Gowon took half of the funds in the Central Bank of Nigeria with him while going on exile in 1975.
Mr. Tom Tugendhat made the allegation against Gowon during a debate in the UK parliament on petitions by Nigerians calling for sanction of the officials involved in the Lekki Toll Gate shooting.
Mr Tugendhat said during the debate, “Some people will remember when General Gowon left Nigeria with half the Central Bank and moved to London.”
Moving the motion on Tuesday, Yusuf Gagdi called for a public apology from the British Mp, describing the comment as “libellous and reckless.”
He prayed the House to summon the British High Commission and urged the Speaker to write the House of Commons, expressing the displeasure of the House of Representatives to the statement made by the MP.
Moving an amendment to the motion, Kinsley Chinda urged the House to rather compel the House committees on Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Foreign Affairs to investigate the comments.
Chinda noted that the “comment is not a reflection of the House of Common” rather “a statement at the committee level.”
Although Chinda’s amendment was taken, Gbajabimaila in a short remark made before putting the motion to question said: “a parliamentarian should use parliamentary immunity as a shield, not as a sword.”
He added that the House will forward the recommendation of the House to the UK’s parliament.
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