By Emman Ovuakporie Johnbosco Agbarakwu

ABUJA—INDICATIONS emerged, yesterday, that members of the House of Representatives indicted in a sex scandal in the United States may be cleared of the allegations.

The joint Ethics and Privileges and Foreign Relations Committee’s report which was initially slated for deliberations last Wednesday, was stepped down for that of former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmunin Jibrin, because of its volatility.

The three lawmakers are Mohammed Garba Gololo, APC, Bauchi, Samuel Ikon, PDP, Akwa Ibom, and Mark Gbillah, APC, Benue.

The committee, co-chaired by Ossai Nicholas Ossai, PDP, Delta and Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, PDP, Abia, was mandated to probe into the allegations levelled by then US ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle.

The committee had conducted its investigations and concluded the investigative hearing since July before the House proceeded on its annual recess.

The report was listed as item 15 on the order paper last Wednesday but its presentation was put off.

Vanguard reliably gathered from a competent source that the report would be listed a second time for consideration and adoption tomorrow.

Another source close to ethics and privileges committee confirmed that the accused lawmakers had been cleared by the probe committee.

“I don’t have details of the findings and recommendations but the little of what I saw, the lawmakers have no question to answer.

“It is the responsibility of the US Embassy to prove the allegation, but in this case, the US embassy had no evidence. So, the committee had no alternative but to clear the Honourable members,’’ the source said.

Vanguard recalls that the former US Ambassador had brought the incident to the notice of the speaker through a letter written on June 9.

The accused lawmakers were among a group of Nigerians who travelled to Cleveland, Ohio, on the invitation of the US government.