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| Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu |
Some All Progressives Congress
legislators led by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi had expressed anger at the
emergence of Saraki as senate president, against the party’s preferred
candidate, Senator Ahmed Lawan. They also moved against Ekweremadu of
the Peoples Democratic Party, who emerged as deputy senate president,
contrary to the wish of the ruling party.
The angry senators petitioned the police
alleging that the rules used to elect the leaders of the senate were
forged. The development prompted the then Inspector General of Police,
Solomon Arase, to detail a Deputy Inspector General of Police to
investigate the allegation. The police report claimed there was, indeed,
a forgery of senate rules. Arase referred the matter to the office of
the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice for further
action.
Consequently, the AGF, Malami, filed
charges against the senate leaders and two others, leading to their
arraignment. The development has clearly opened a new vista in
executive-legislature relationship in a democracy, as political
observers see the situation from different angles.
Only recently, the national chairman of
the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was quoted saying his party would
stop at nothing in ensuring that Ekweremadu is removed from his
position. He made it clear that Saraki was not the party’s problem, but
his deputy.
That statement seemed to up opposition to
the federal government’s forgery charges against Saraki and Ekweremadu.
The people of Enugu West senatorial zone came out in their numbers at
the Awgu local government area headquarters to demonstrate support for
one of their own.
Rising Profile
Since the inception of the Fourth Republic 17 years ago, Ekweremadu has featured prominently in the politics of Enugu State. He took off as the chairman of his Aninri council and later became Chief of Staff to former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in 1999. Ekweremadu was later appointed the Secretary to State Government under Nnamani before going to the senate in 2003. From then, he has continued to maintain a steady rise in profile, retaining the position of deputy senate president for a record three terms.
Since the inception of the Fourth Republic 17 years ago, Ekweremadu has featured prominently in the politics of Enugu State. He took off as the chairman of his Aninri council and later became Chief of Staff to former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in 1999. Ekweremadu was later appointed the Secretary to State Government under Nnamani before going to the senate in 2003. From then, he has continued to maintain a steady rise in profile, retaining the position of deputy senate president for a record three terms.
Solidarity
Over 3000 youths, old men, women traditional rulers and the political class from Enugu West senatorial zone rose in defence of the senator last weekend. They accused the federal government of deliberate attempting to silence the lawmaker and by extension the opposition PDP where he is presently the member occupying the highest political position.
Over 3000 youths, old men, women traditional rulers and the political class from Enugu West senatorial zone rose in defence of the senator last weekend. They accused the federal government of deliberate attempting to silence the lawmaker and by extension the opposition PDP where he is presently the member occupying the highest political position.
They saw the on-going trial as nothing
short of “political persecution”, and vowed to resist any attempt aimed
at ousting Ekweremadu from his present position.
The crowd marched round the local government secretariat from where they moved to the constituency office of the member representing Awgu-Aninri-Oji-River federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, to formally present their grievances. Ekweremadu represents the zone in the senate.
The crowd marched round the local government secretariat from where they moved to the constituency office of the member representing Awgu-Aninri-Oji-River federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, to formally present their grievances. Ekweremadu represents the zone in the senate.
After the protest rally, where they
brandished placards with different inscriptions, and sang solidarity
songs, they marched back to the local government field where a prominent
traditional ruler from Okpanku in Aninri local government area and
former Director General of the Nigeria Defence Academy, HRH (Prof.) Sam
Ukpabi, presented an address on behalf of the people.
Some of the placards carried inscriptions
such as: “The life wire of Igbo should not be harassed by the
Buhari-led Federal Government, Enough is enough”, “The Enugu West people
will resist any attack against Ikeoha”, “Dictatorship of the executive-
let separation of power prevail”, “Our son Dr. Ike Ekweremadu and
Senate leadership are on course”, “Ekweremadu keep your good work”,
“Ekweremadu is the real man for democracy” and “Federal Government
should leave the legislature alone”.
Ukpabi, in his address, stated that the
stakeholders in the senatorial zone had reviewed the state of the
nation, especially the “political bitterness, nepotism, hate and
crushing economic hardship, with a narrow cabal in the All Progressives
Congress,” and resolved to condemn the “politically motivated
persecution” of the Deputy Senate President on charges of forgery.
He said, “While the current political
persecution has not come to us as a surprise, the Attorney-General of
the Federation is yet to tell the world how he generated the names of
Senators Ekweremadu and Bukola Saraki for trial, when the petitioners,
all senators and National Assembly bureaucrats interrogated by the
police, and indeed the Police Report itself did not mention or indict
Senator Ekweremadu or Saraki in any way.”
While calling on the APC-led Federal
Government to as a matter of urgency, refrain from the alleged culture
of political persecution, the people declared that Ekweremadu was
elected with an overwhelming mandate both as a senator and Deputy Senate
President and his election did not violate known convention, practice
or the nation’s constitution.
‘Witch-hunt’
In a similar vein, a former Majority Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Jonny Obidinma, has asked the federal government to drop the allegation of forgery preferred against the senate leaders, describing it as a witch-hunt. He advocated for dialogue between the federal government and the senate leadership on the obvious “communication gap” existing between them, noting that dropping the forgery charge would not only enthrone peace in the polity but would also advance the course of democracy, which is deeply rooted in dialogue and not confrontation.
In a similar vein, a former Majority Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Jonny Obidinma, has asked the federal government to drop the allegation of forgery preferred against the senate leaders, describing it as a witch-hunt. He advocated for dialogue between the federal government and the senate leadership on the obvious “communication gap” existing between them, noting that dropping the forgery charge would not only enthrone peace in the polity but would also advance the course of democracy, which is deeply rooted in dialogue and not confrontation.
He noted that since the trial of the senate president is on-going at the
Code of Conduct Tribunal, beginning another round of criminal trial
against Saraki would not only cause confusion in the polity but would
also undermine the independence of the legislature. He insisted that the
standing rule of the senate was entirely the business of the
legislature.
Obidinma who also picked whole in the
entire process recalled that the Assistant Force Public Relations
Officer (AFPRO), Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, had told newsmen at the Force
Headquarters on July 6, 2015 that although the police team met with the
ex-Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa, they neither
invited nor interrogated Saraki or Ekweremadu.
He stated, “It is even worse to try to
obtain from the backdoor a statement after you have filed charges,
because it shows somebody is desperate to nail somebody.
“From what they have filed at the court and the police report, there is
no statement that Saraki or Ekweremadu made on the alleged forgery;
there is no particular role those interrogated accused Saraki or
Ekweremadu of playing in the alleged forgery. Even the Senate Unity
Forum did not mention them in their petition.
So, how did the Office of the
Attorney-General of the Federation zero in on Saraki and Ekweremadu? And
if you are talking about the leadership of the seventh Senate,
Ekweremadu was not the Senate President or the Senate Majority Leader or
Chairman of the Committee on Business and Rules. So, why is every other
member of the leadership of the seventh Senate missing? Again, was
Saraki a member of the leadership of the seventh Senate?”
The former lawmaker observed that the
country was presently faced with plethora of challenges such as the
militancy in the Niger Delta, the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, the
pro-Biafra agitations by MASSOB and IPOB and the collapsing economy
noting that adding crisis in the legislature would totally derail the
entire democratic process.
Another group, the Enugu West Peoples
Forum, also defended Ekweremadu over his letter alerting the attention
of the international community to the on-going trial of Saraki, himself
and two others and its grave implications for Nigeria’s democracy.
The ruling APC had asked Ekweremadu to
retract his letter to the international community over his on-going
forgery trial, insisting that by taking what should be an internal
affair of the country to the outside world, the lawmaker had tarnished
the image of Nigeria and by extension, the president.
Both the party’s chairman, Ben Nwoye, and
the Vice chairman, Anike Nwoga, faulted the lawmaker’s decision to
write to the international bodies, stressing that the senator only
wanted to drag the nation’s integrity in the mud.
Nwoga spoke at a rally held by party
members in Awgu town, Enugu State, with notable APC chieftains,
including Deputy State Chairman, Comrade A.C. Ude, Woman Leader, Lolo
Queen Nwankwo, Chief Flavour Eze, who represented the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Special Assistant to the President on
Justice Reform, Barrister Julie Ibekaku, Director General, Voice of
Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, and Barrister Sharon Ikeazor in
attendance. He insisted that the letter was out of place. Nwoga urged
Ekweremadu to desist from insulting the president.
But the Enugu West Peoples Forum said
Ekweremadu was right, noting that Nigeria was not only a member of the
global community, but also a beneficiary of the generosity of the
international community. The group’s president, Hon. Paul Anikwe,
berated the leadership of the APC in Enugu State for finding faults in
Ekweremadu’s letter, describing them as “desperate job seekers”.
Nwoga stated, “Democracy is endangered
when the executive refuses to obey court orders; when virtually every
election is, especially in the strongholds of the opposition, is
rendered inconclusive; when the Attorney-General of the Federation
abuses his office and court process for partisan and other vested
interests; when the AGF defies parliamentary summons and joint
resolutions of the National Assembly; and worst of all, when we go back
to the military days of trumped-up charges against people who hold
dissenting views with the aim of taking over an arm of the parliament
which is the symbol of democracy”.
He added, “The Enugu West Peoples Forum
dare to ask members of the global community who have themselves invested
so much in enthroning and sustaining Nigeria’s democracy to call the
Federal Government and its AGF to order before things get out of hand.”
Nwoga noted, “Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, a
perfect gentleman, was the chairman of ANPP and a founding father of the
ruling party; Chief Chris Ngige is a first-rate medical doctor, former
governor and senator; Prof Anthony Onwuka is a renowned intellectual and
former Vice Chancellor; Mr. Osita Okechukwu has been a consistent voice
in the opposition and worked hard with leaders in the present
government from the days of Senator Chuba Okadigbo; what did they get
but third class ministries, junior minister, and a moribund parastal?”
Adjournment
Though, the case against Ekweremadu and the others has been adjourned to September 28 for commencement of hearing, the issue has clearly become a major talking-point in Enugu State. Many people in the state are in solidarity with the man, who is presently the Igbo man occupying the highest political office in the present administration. As far as they are concerned, any attack on the lawmaker is an attack on the people of Enugu West senatorial zone, Enugu State and indeed the people of south-east geopolitical zone.
Though, the case against Ekweremadu and the others has been adjourned to September 28 for commencement of hearing, the issue has clearly become a major talking-point in Enugu State. Many people in the state are in solidarity with the man, who is presently the Igbo man occupying the highest political office in the present administration. As far as they are concerned, any attack on the lawmaker is an attack on the people of Enugu West senatorial zone, Enugu State and indeed the people of south-east geopolitical zone.
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