Elder statesman and former Senate
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ameh Ebute has replied
the US Congressman, Tom Marino over his controversial secret letter to the US
Secretary of State, John Kerry demanding an unreserved apology to the country.
The Distibguished in his letter to
Nigeria's foreign affairs Minister reminded Marito that Nigeria under President
Muhammadu Buhari and the current military leadership have degraded the Boko
Haram insurgents even without the promised US support that Marino wants to
deprive the country of.
Senator Ebute said the essence of
that letter by the Congressman was to block the offer of assistance in fighting
insurgency that Kerry offered during his recent visit to Nigeria.
He however reminded the Congressman
that from the onset, the offer of assistance is not to Nigeria in the real
sense since we are already defeating Boko Haram but is a gesture that would go
a long way to secure the West Africa sub-region from terrorism that has become
a global concern.
He said to the extent that a
Nigeria free of terrorism will contribute to a more secured world and the
Americans would actually be helping themselves by offering this assistance
since that country is the one in the cross-hair of terrorists.
The former senate president said
Congressman Marino's letter contained so many inaccuracies and even outright
lies which he would have done better whispering those thoughts to the US
Secretary of State rather than documenting his myopia in the now infamous letter.
He urged the Federal Government to
lodge the appropriate complaints against the congressman using the appropriate
diplomatic channels, adding that on the domestic front, we should intensify
efforts at building our local capacity since
He said, "His uncouth letter
was driven in the belief that his country remains an imperial lord over Nigeria
and other nations and that is a sentiment that we must not give room to if we hope
to move ahead as a people.
"I therefore crave your
indulgence to use your office to send a strong message to Congressman Tom
Marino, the US Congress and the United States Government that the era of
imperialism is over and discussions about mutual cooperation should not be
exploited to pass ignorant judgement on Nigeria or any other nation for that
matter."
According to him, the US also have
its own security challenges, saying as at the middle of this year, the number
of persons mowed down by police bullets in the US topped 160 and counting as
the year progressed. He said
He said, "Nigeria must in an
unequivocal voice tell Congressman Marino to remove the log in his country’s
eye before attempting to remove the speck in ours. It takes a lot of hypocrisy
to accuse Nigeria’s security and military of committing extra judicial killings
when law enforcement officers in Congressman Marino’s own country now carry out
daily extra-judicial executions against persons of particular racial
background."
Ebute compared the Congressman
to Ekiti state governor, Ayo
Fayose,saying he is only playing to the gallery.
He said, "As a Republican
candidate in Pennsylvania’s 10th District, Marino was in danger of being fired
by the US Department of Justice due to questions about his effectiveness.
"This consideration was later
given credibility with Marino’s reported ethics shenanigans and alleged mob
ties. Here is the character that wants to lecture the world on how Nigeria
should be run."
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