*If Ekweremadu is not arrested by close of work Friday, it means Govt is not serious – Respondent
“You yourself, Ekweremadu, I gathered, has been alleged to have very high profile properties in Dubai and that you are under investigation therefore. If what I heard is correct, something should tell you that it is not this time that you are now under scrutiny over an allegation of corruption over some Dubai properties that you should be calling for military take over. Don’t forget that the bombing of oil installations that, in addition to looting by your party, took us into recession that Buhari just brought us out of was caused by politicians like you who wanted to cause confusion so they could escape justice. The next after you failed in all of that is to now call for military coup.”
Ike Ekeweremadu (PDP, Enugu), who is Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, has made a tactical call for the military to return to power.
Ekweremadu cited the excuse of what he called the country’s receding democracy in making such assertion.
He however did not state the role played by his party, the PDP, in what he described as receding democracy in the country.
Senator Ekeweremadu made this assertion on Wednesday while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by Ahmed Ogembe, the only PDP Senator representing Central Senatorial District in Kogi State.
Ogembe had alleged that Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi, sponsored thugs to disrupt an empowerment programme he organised for his constituents.
The Deputy Senate President said such incident showed that efforts must be made to protect the country’s democracy.
He cited different instances where Federal lawmakers had been harassed, warning that democracy must not be turned into a joke.
Ekeweremadu, who is second-in-command in a Senate that has struggled hard against the anti-corruption effort of the current Federal Government due to its activities against prosecution of questionable members, also told the governor of Kogi State that “the road he is travelling will not lead him anywhere.
He said, “You will recall that sometime last year when they wanted to recall Dino, I advised the governor that they are wasting the resources of that state, that it is mission impossible,” Ekeweremadu said.
“They took three pages in the newspaper abusing me. Are we still hearing the recall today? Money has been wasted.
“If he doesn’t stop, there is no how he will come back in 2019, never, no he will not. God will show him that he is a God of justice and this is a message to all those people who have caused all kinds of problem in Nigeria at different levels. The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over? Let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue.
“The house of a senator was destroyed in Kaduna State. We also are talking about Kwankwaso, who was stopped from going to his state where he ruled for eight years. “In Kaduna, Shehu Sani cannot organise a meeting and we are talking about a democracy.”
Reacting to Ekweremadu’s assertion, a respondent had told The DEFENDER that no matter what excuse he cited, “If the Police do not arrest this matter by close of work on Friday, then the government is not serious about signaled trouble.”
The respondent, who spoke as usual under strict condition of anonymity, said, “Just look at how funny these Senators are. Ekweremadu is now bothered that members of his Senate are harassed. How can a Senator be leveled with serious allegation of corruptly enriching himself with money meant for contracts of a state in the South South but instead of executing it he goes ahead to amass high profile properties at Apapa Wark and other places and you call the EFCC’s questioning and prosecution of that Senator, who cannot provide convincing answer a harassment?
“Senate President Bukola Saraki was accused of evading customs duties on imported cars, instead for you all to allow the rule of law, with which the President has managed to fix Nigeria since May 29, 2015 when he took over, to also take its due course by making Saraki publicly explain what he knew about the alleged corruption, all of you in the Senate formed a kangaroo investigative panel presided over by the same man being alleged and that panel cleared the accused. Is that what you mean by Senators being harassed?
“You yourself, Ekweremadu, I gathered, has been alleged to have very high profile properties in Dubai and that you are under investigation therefore. If what I heard is correct, something should tell you that it is not this time that you are now under scrutiny over an allegation of corruption over some Dubai properties that you should be calling for military take over. Don’t forget that the bombing of oil installations that, in addition to looting by your party, took us into recession that Buhari just brought us out of was caused by politicians like you who wanted to cause confusion so they could escape justice. The next after you failed in all of that is to now call for military coup. If this Ekweremadu is not arrested before the close of work on Friday, I will have the cause to say the government is not serious about stopping signaled crisis from actualising,” he said.
