US Senator Apologises For 419 Jibe At

United States Senator Ted Cruz on
Thursday said he did not mean to
offend Nigerians when he took a
jibe at the technical glitches being
experienced by the website of a new
US healthcare law commonly known
as Obamacare.
During an appearance in his home
state of Texas this week, the
Republican Party lawmaker
referenced what he called “Nigerian
e-mail scammers.”
Senator Cruz was speaking about
technical glitches on a new US
government website that have
prevented Americans from buying
health insurance under the
Affordable Health Care Act, or
Obamacare.
Cruz, who has voiced opposition to
the measure, jokingly said, “You
know the Nigerian e-mail scammers?
They have been a lot less active
lately because they have all been
hired to run the Obamacare web
site.”
His comments stirred outrage
among Nigerians and some political
commentators across the world, as
they demanded an apology from the
controversial senator.
The Texas-based KTRK broadcast
station reports that a spokesman for
Senator Cruz reacted, saying: “The
senator was making a joke based on
the official term of a commonly
utilised type of scam. He meant no
offence.”
The Nigerian embassy in Washington
has called Cruz’s remarks
“unguided.”
In a statement, the Deputy Chief of
Mission, Ambassador B.E. Archibong,
said the embassy views the
comments as a “very expensive joke
that was taken too far,” VOA reports.
Senator Cruz’s comments have also
been criticized by the Nigerian-
American Leadership Council.
In a VOA interview, Executive
Director Sam Okey Mbonu said Cruz
should issue a “clarification.”
“It is certainly not the most
responsible statement from a United
States senator,” he said.
“We believe that partisanship has its
limits and one does not establish
credibility on a national platform by
running down a section of the
American community.”
Okey Mbonu said some Nigerian
Americans would consider the joke
offensive.
“It is certainly insensitive,” he said.
“For a senator who perhaps has
some medium-term plans for being
in the public for a long period of
time, we think that those kinds of
comments should be well thought
out.”
Pastor Felix Awotula with Redeemed
Christian Church of God says he
fielded calls at his church
throughout the day.
“I’m not too sure of the motive
behind that. But anyway, the
statement has been made, and it
has a devastating effect in the mind
of Nigerians because we don’t want
to identify the country with anything
negative. I’m not saying all Nigerians
are perfect,” Awotula said.
A commentator, Dallas Jones, with
Elite Change, Inc, said: “That type of
dialogue is inflammatory. I think it is
one that will divide us, as opposed
to unite us, and I think that’s what
the country wants right now; they
want to be united, they want real
leadership that’s not going to be
culturally insensitive.”
Some viewers say they’ve contacted
the senator’s office, asking for an
apology.

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