I Am Going Nowhere, Says Ekweremadu

DEPUTY President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has described reports that he was on his to dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC to save his job as not false, but baseless. Ekweremadu who noted that he was not going to anywhere, said that at the moment, he was more concerned about fixing the country’s biting economic and security conditions and other challenges than saving his job as the Deputy President of the Senate. A statement in Abuja by the Special Assistant (Political Matters) to the Deputy President of the Senate on Political Affairs, Hon. Okey Ozoani, described the reports as “a fantasy of those peddling it”. He assured the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faithful and Nigerians that “Ekweremadu is going nowhere”. The statement read, “The Office of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has dismissed as false, insinuations and reports that the Senator could be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to save his job. “Senator Ekweremadu is not contemplating leaving PDP. He is more concerned about fixing the country’s biting economic and security conditions and other challenges than saving his job as the Deputy President of the Senate. “It is his view that Nigeria has to first exist for us to have political parties to belong to or political offices to occupy. Studies have shown a direct relationship between economic conditions and survival of democracy. “The primary responsibility our Constitution places on our government is to cater to the wellbeing of the citizens as well as security of their lives and property. When such are threatened, everyone should necessarily get serious and preoccupied with contributing his or her quota to salvaging the country. “Besides, he is most grateful to his colleagues for the confidence they continue to repose in him and the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki. He is grateful for the solidarity that the Senators have continued to accord them”. Hon. Ozoani, while appreciating Ekweremadu’s supporters and well meaning Nigerians who have continued to contact the Office over recent media reports, assured them that there was no cause for alarm, however urged them to continue to pray for the Senate leadership, the Senate, the National Assembly, and indeed the government and the entire nation, adding, “By strength alone shall no man prevail. Therefore, let us get down on our knees and continue to present the government and the country before God.” It would be recalled that Senators elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, were on Wednesday last week lobbying the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP to dump his party and come to the APC. This came barely twenty-four hours after the Senate adopted the change in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the red chambers as it affirmed the replacement of Senator Ali Ndume with Senator Ahmad Lawan as the Senate majority leader. The call on Ekweremadu to join the party may be seen as a joke, but it was presented yesterday on the floor of the Senate during approval of the Votes and Proceedings of last week Tuesday. The call for cross carpeting came when Senator Kabir Marafa, APC, Zamfara Central was called to move a motion for the adoption of the votes and proceedings. Instead of going straight to the business of the day, Senator Kabir Marafa said it was high time that the Deputy Senate President crossed to the ruling party. Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa West) while seconding the motion, re-echoed the position of Marafa and stressed the need for Ekweremadu to decamp to the APC. In a swift reaction, Senator Sunny Ogbuoji (PDP, Ebonyi South) said such a joke was uncalled for and that the Deputy Senate President was not done with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yet. While ruling on the motion, Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary, however put the question that the votes and proceedings for the previous legislative day be adopted while the second clause which was related to the overture from the APC “be duly removed”. The entire Senate voted in affirmative to the views of Nigerians who watched the live broadcast on National television. It would be recalled that Senator Ekweremadu was re-elected on the platform of PDP in 2015, to represent the people of Enugu West and he later emerged the Deputy Senate President of the 8th Assembly in an overwhelming election. Ekweremadu was also the Deputy Senate President in the 6th and 7th Senate under the leadership of Distinguished Senator David Mark.