Ekweremadu’s election removed partisanship from Buhari’s govt, Senate, says Akpabio
IMMEDIATE past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared that the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Deputy Senate President has made President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration, truly national and democratic because it would not suffer from the negative effects of the ‘winner takes all’ syndrome.
Akpabio who represents Akwa-Ibom North West Senatorial district told reporters after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday in Abuja that the election of an opposition member into the coveted National Assembly position would ensure that issues before the legislature were examined in a more holistic, all encompassing, non-partisan way.
According to him: “ This would make the 8th Senate record more achievements than the previous one. “I think it’s very good for democracy because Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President was freely elected by senators. “If you recall, he scored about 54 votes and the total number of PDP members in the senate are about 49.
This means he was accepted across party lines and it is also possible that some PDP senators did not vote for him , meaning that probably, more senators of the All Progressives Congress(APC) voted for him. “But the major thing is that he was voted for across party lines.
That’s the way the Senate wants it. They want an experienced person to work with the Senate President and they want a very stable Senate, a Senate that will be productive, a Senate that will have continuity. “And I think it is good for politics and is also good for President Buhari, that at the end of the day, we have a Deputy Senate President who has been there before, who is not from the APC so that we can look at things from a holistic point of view, from a national perspective and not always through party binoculars. “So, for me, I believe that the 8th Senate will achieve far more than those before.
“I am very proud of the decision by the Senate. I stand by the Deputy Senate President and the Senate President and the Senate for what they have done. “ Akpabio also expressed interest in the position of Senate Minority Leader which the PDP had already allocated to the South South geo-political zone.
Asked about his ambition to lead the PDP senators, he revealed that he was still holding consultations on the matter, noting that the decision would ultimately belong to PDP members in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Akpabio, who said he was at the party national headquarters to discuss issues with the leadership of the party, said what was important was whether he has the capacity to do well in the position,. According to him: “It is not a question of interest.
It is a function of capacity, whether I have the capacity to lead my colleagues. My colleagues will decide. “You know, in the Senate, everybody is equal except our bosses who have been there for a long time like the ranking senators and all that.
So, once you are opportuned to be in the red chamber, you have equal rights, you can aspire to any position. “But you first have to be sure that your colleagues will be interested in your leading them. “I’m aware that my name has been mentioned severally by my colleagues and am consulting and at the end of my consultation with stakeholders of our party across the nation, I’ll be able to make an appropriate statement. “
Related
Politics
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
11 Comments
It is very gut wrenching to hear this diabolical inconsiderate looter of the commonwealth of Akwa Ibom people say “winner takes all”is a negative way to go. How hypocritical of you Mr Akpabio. You are a winner takes all specialist and advocate. It is only a very foolish man that believes every other person is foolish or can be fooled all the time. I can’t wait to see you remanded in prison even if it’s just to await trial. Msheeeeew
Etim, the constitution says in Section 36, subsection 5: Every person who is charged with a criminal offense shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
I would advice you to desist from calling Akpabio or any individual a looter if you don’t have CONCRETE, IRON-CLAD evidences. Akpabio has not been charged with criminal enrichment yet. Leave your sentiments to yourself. You think of it, if he looted, he would have relocated like some others did. But he is in Abuja near “Sei Baba” who hates “looters”.
If you have documented evidences, go to the EFCC; that is what they a looking for to perform.
I know say you dey vex. Tone it down.
Did PDP offer ‘inclusion’ to other parties in the last 16years?
PDP didn’t offer inclusion because the opposition parties were not big enough at the time. That said, Ekweremadu’s election was only made possible because the APC inner working committee didn’t get their acts together before the convening of the 8th assembly; they have themselves to blame for that blunder which opened the gates for the opposition PDP to exploit.
Coming to think of it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make the Deputy Senate Seat available for the opposition parties to contest for; throw in the deputy speaker as well. Wow, that would make the NASS fun. No more “winner takes all” that shipwrecks the nation once the winning party derails.
Democracy is never tribal or ethnic democracy is you vote your best interest and if you loose you learn to live with it and not after loosing an election You change the rules, in the present day Nigeria under PMB it is a crime, we are no more under banana republic president
It is really challenging to one’s faith in this nation, to say least, that Nigerians will be heard making a preference for an immoral meeting summoned at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, falsely engaging President Buhari’s instance and name, for the imposition of one-man’s candidates on the nation’s highest legislative body, NASS, over a duly conducted leadership election on the floor of the Senate. Impugning a result that made for national inclusiveness whilst supporting a cabal for ethnic exclusion, by anybody making a pretence of love of Nigeria is most regrettable and preposterious.
Why must Ekweremadu’s emergence cause a stir ? Why must any one reject Ekweremadu’s emergence ? Right now, N401 Billion from the proceeds of oil embedded in the soil of the South-South and South-East has already been shared by the 36 states, many of which belong to APC; Has any APC State Governor rejected his state’s share of that money because it came from zones that did not vote APC massively ? Before now, all the APC legislators in the National Assembly and states legislatures have received their hotel and other take-off allowances from the same oil money from the South-South and South-East, I never heard or saw any one of them reject his allowances because it came from the “wrong zones.”
Now, the President duly issued a proclamation to bring into life the 8th National Assembly. In that issue, the President was certain; he said the 8th Assembly shall come into effect at 10:00 A.M. of June 9, this year of our Lord, 2015. And in line with that constitutional order, 57 Senators-elect dutifully, patriotically and constitutionally went to the Senate Chambers to be inaugurated and were, in deed, inaugurated. Thereafter, the Senate carried out its first legislative duty which was the election of the Senate President and his Deputy. That they did successfully and in fact, their President, Senator Saraki, enjoyed wider acceptance that he was elected unopposed. And that of his deputy keenly contested.
Meanwhile, some other Senators unpatriotically ignored the President’s order of proclamation and went to the NICON hotel extension behind the ICC, just to wine and merry for having won election into the Senate. And by the time they sauntered back to the Senate, the law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have taken their due course. The wining and merrymaking Senators now say the hand of the clock should be shifted backwards to accommodate their giddy dream that 36 hours, instead of 24, make up a day. That cannot happen as it is a pure lie.
APC should be full of gratitude to Senator David Mark for being himself – being and remaining gentlemanly in the circumstance. In fact, they should also thank Senator Saraki for standing up to defend APC’s interest at that crucial moment. Had Saraki not done what he did, one of those 49 PDP Senators dutifully present would have emerged the Senate President and no Jupiter will reverse it, since APC doesn’t have the 2/3 majority to upturn it. APC should be full of gratitude to Saraki and the Clerk of the National Assembly.
What took place on June 9, 2015, was a national rebellion against one man’s imposition; a national rebellion against false-Change. That’s precisely why President Buhari never wasted any time in validating the National Assembly proceedings of June 9, 2015. That is as it should be. Also the British and the American governments have validated same by paying courtesy visits to the leadership of the National Assembly pronto. All the authorities – the President the British and American Govts – knew that what was to take place at the restaurant adjacent to the ICC was an imposition, NOT democratic.
For the first time in the history of this nation, a Christian minority from the Inner North was able
to squeeze his head up to become the No. 4 Citizen of our dear country. Also in an era where a Buhari was expected to punish the South East for not voting for him massively, the man decided to prove all of us wrong. What then is the unbearable headache ? The only convergence between the cabal impositionists and pseudo patriots and intellectuals is the discomfort that an Igboman – Ike Ekweremadu – emerged in an era where there is a “consensus” that Ndigbo be punished for voting Jonathan. But thank goodness, President Buhari is not comfortable with that “consensus” and has openly and clearly demonstrated he is not part of it. That’s why he wasted no time in welcoming the result of June 9, 2015 in the National Assembly. At least, the President has distanced himself from those who want to perpetuate tribal hate hiding behind a Buhari. Otherwise, how can any sane and just Nigerian rationalize why the self-styled owner of APC will insist that Femi Gbajabiala MUST become the House of Reps Leader even after Yoruba have become Vice President, Senate President and Deputy Speaker, respectively when other zones with equally competent legislators have not been considered ? What “democracy,” what “party discipline”, what CHANGE can that be ?
Now the decision, in fact duty, whether to have a smooth, peaceful and enduring parliament in Nigeria or not lies with the anti-Ekweremadu, nay, anti-Igboman, elements in APC (party and NASS). Unless the whole essence of APC politics is “Power Grab and Igbo Exclusion,” they have a duty to concentrate on legislation as their duty and allow the Senate Leadership be. Matter of factly, APC does not have the 2/3 to effect a change of Ekweremadu or anything in the Senate. Any “We no go gree” in the Senate will only result in crisis, confusion and setback against the Buhari Govt and the entire nation. Because, PDP in the Senate will equally “No go gree.” APC operatives in and outside the Senate have a choice to make between guaranteeing a peaceful governance for Buhari and Nigeria or a crisis-ridden 4 years with nothing good to show for it.
You were making sense but lost me when you said ”Had Saraki not done what he did, one of those 49 PDP Senators dutifully present would have emerged the Senate President ”. Saraki knew well in advance he was going to be elected. The current scenario is like no honour among thieves. I don’t really know who to support because to me its just the same bunch of legislooters out-smarting each other. Who will deliver Nigeria form these thieves?
It was not possible for PDP to select a Senate president. The rule clearly stated that senate president can only emerge from majority party
Please let us get it straight,Ekweremadu has been Deputy Senate President for 8 Years what did he get for Easterners for occupying that post.He does not hold it on trust for Igbos,we elected him Senator and as that he can achieve so much ,not necessarily as Deputy Senate President.
He can be elected to day and removed tomorrow.There is nothing in it to celebrate and our people must appeciate this postion
Yesterday Governor today senator tomorrow what? Collection of Nigeria’s government pickins. No progress for Nigeria.
Akpabio may be correct when viewed from the ethnically jaundiced perspective
We will review and take appropriate action.