Spurred by a motion raised by Hon. Aminu Suleiman (APC, Kano), the House summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, to appear before its foreign affairs committee and explain the reason for Nigeria’ sudden about turn during the voting.
According to Sulaiman, the volte face of Nigeria is a negation of commitment to supporting the Palestinian quest.
The motion was unanimously adopted with a proviso that Nigeria shouldn’t shy away from backing Palestinian independence as well as the struggles of other oppressed people in the world.
There was a slight hiccup before its adoption as Hon. Simon Yakubu Arabo (PDP, Kaduna) sought to expunge prayer calling for Nigeria to reassure its stand for the push of Palestinian independence. But his opposition didn’t sail through.
Arguing that the voting was dispassionate as France, Germany, China, Russia and Chile all voted in favour of the Palestinian independence, Suleiman wondered why Nigeria, which championed the fight against apartheid in South Africa will depart from a position it has been known for since independence.
The lawmakers’ resolve to probe the Nigeria’s indecision on the Palestinians independence comes a week after the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) demanded that the National Assembly should investigate Nigeria’s abstention.
The ACF said the National Assembly “should summon both the foreign affairs minister and the Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations and ask them to explain the most recent deviation from our normal diplomatic principles.”
Source: Thisday
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