Samuel Ikon, a Nigerian lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct by the government of the United States has broken his silence on the matter saying that he did not solicit for prostitutes during an International Visitors Leadership Program in the US.
Ikon, one of three Nigerian lawmakers named in a letter from the United States ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle says that the allegations are not true and that they are in “bad taste” and “a case of mistaken identity”.
Samuel Ikon is being accused along with another Nigerian lawmaker, Mark Gbillah of Benue of of soliciting prostitutes during a trip to Cleveland, Ohio in April 2016.
The Trent had reported that Mr. James Entwistle, the United States ambassador to Nigeria, had written to Nigeria’s speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara alleging that three Nigerian lawmakers, Mohammed Garba Gololo of Bauchi State, Mark Terseer Gbillah, of Benue State, and Samuel Ikon of Akwa Ibom State, have been accused of attempted rape by groping a hotel staff and soliciting prostitutes in the parking lot of the hotel while on official business in the United States.
Ikon, who represents Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Constituency of Akwa Ibom, in a statement to the press, said he knew nothing of the incident and wondered what the ambassador stood to gain by naming him.
He said that he was happy that the lower chamber had commenced the process of investigating the allegation, and expressed confidence that he would be cleared.
“I wish to state unequivocally that this is false and definitely not me,” said Ikon, who is a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom State house of assembly.
“This, to me is a case of mistaken identity and I will be vindicated. I have initiated measures both legal and diplomatic to clear my name and the institution I represent.
“There are many questions left unanswered by the actions of the U.S. mission but I believe it will become clearer in the course of time.
“I want to reassure all of my innocence in this matter and I call on all relevant authorities and jurisdictions to commence full investigation to correct this great injustice to me.
“I have an unwavering faith in God to see me through this trying moment and plead with all not to be hasty in condemning me as the final outcome will surely clear my name.
“I urge for patience, prayers and God’s abiding wisdom at this time,” Ikon said.
Mark Gbillah, representing Benue Gwer East/Gwer Eest in the Nigerian house of representatives, has equally denied the allegations and demanded that the US government provide video evidence of his alleged sexual misconduct or he would sue the US for ‘tarnishing his name’.
Gbillah made this demand in a letter to the United States Embassy.
“I was shocked. I was embarrassed. There is nothing as such that has happened,” the other Nigerian lawmaker mentioned who was specifically accused of groping a hotel staff, Mohammed Gololo said to BBC in reaction to the allegations. He also described the allegations as “false” and “unfounded”.
Gololo threatened to sue the United States government and suggested that he was willinging to return to Cleveland to “clear his name”.
The Envoy’s Letter
A team of ten Nigerian lawmakers visited Cleveland, Ohio for the International Visitor Leadership Programme on good governance which held between April 7 and 13, 2016.
In a letter to Mr. Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the Nigerian house of representatives, James Entwistle, the United States ambassador to Nigeria reportedly accused two of the lawmakers of soliciting prostitutes during an official visit to the US.
“Mark Terseer Gbillah [Benue] and Samuel Ikon [Akwa Ibom] allegedly requested hotel parking attendants assist them to solicit prostitutes,” the US ambassador wrote.
In the letter dated June 9, 2016, exclusively obtained by New Telegraph, third lawmaker, Mohammed Garba Gololo of Bauchi State is accused of attempting to rape a staff of the hotel in Cleveland, where he stayed during the trip.
“Mohammed Garba Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex,” Entwistle wrote. “While the housekeeper reported this to her management, this incident could have involved local law enforcement and resulted in legal consequences for Representative Gololo.”
“The U.S. Mission took pains to confirm these allegations and the identities of the individuals with the employees of the hotel in Cleveland.
“The conduct described above left a very negative impression of Nigeria, casting a shadow on Nigeria’s National Assembly, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and to the American hosts’ impression of Nigeria as a whole.
“Such conduct could affect some participants’ ability to travel to the United States in the future,” the letter said.
