By Rafiu Ajakaye
LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - The speaker of Nigeria’s parliament on Saturday joined the defense of three lawmakers at the center of a sex scandal.
The three members of the House of Representatives are said to have groped a hotel chambermaid and sought out prostitutes while on a visit to the U.S. in April. They deny the allegations, which came to light in a leaked letter written by the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria.
In a series of Twitter posts, House Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for the U.S. to provide evidence for the claims.
“As we speak no evidence has been put forward other than the letter sent to my office and copied to many others,” Dogara said.
He added: “He who alleges must prove. That’s the law. Together with the U.S. embassy in Nigeria we will get to the bottom of this matter and until then let’s not be judgmental.”
Dogara, who has launched an investigation, reacted after Ambassador James Entwhistle’s letter became public on Friday. The envoy said Mohammed Gololo had allegedly grabbed a hotel maid and solicited her for sex while Mark Gbillah and Samuel Ikon had allegedly asked hotel parking attendants help them find prostitutes.
The incidents are said to have occurred during a leadership program in Cleveland.
“We received troubling allegations regarding the behavior of three members of the delegation to the U.S. government’s flagship professional exchange program,” Entwhistle said.