PDP condemns APC’s rejection of Ekweremadu
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday condemned comments by the national chairman of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, against the emergence of deputy president of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.
Spokesman of the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of the PDP, Dayo Adeyeye, in a statement issued in Abuja had drawn attention to remarks credited to Oyegun against Ekweremadu as deputy Senate President.
Oyegun was reported as having said that: “I think the thing that rankled us most was the election of Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. Saraki is a member of the APC, much as the main line of the Party would have wished a different result and a different scenario. But we all find it very, very difficult to accept the emergence of a PDP person as his deputy”.
But Adeyeye in his statement said:”Although this has been an open secret, but our fears have now been confirmed by the APC National Chairman himself.
“We however, want to make it clear that the APC has no constitutional or moral grounds to be displeased with Ekweremadu’s emergence or to go this ridiculous length to harass, intimidate, embarrass, and malign him and the Institution of the Senate on account of a position to which his colleagues, cutting across party lines, elected him in a transparent and televised election in line with Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution as Amended.
The statement continued:”Even the APC as a Party and through its chieftains, including President Muhammadu Buhari (before his Election), had variously and robustly defended the constitutionality and imperativeness of bi-partisan
legislative leadership during the defection of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal to its fold while in opposition without relinquishing his position.”
“We, therefore, invite the APC-led Federal Government to tell the world why bi-partisan leadership in the legislature was good in the instances of Rt. Hon. Tambuwal as well as the Benue and Plateau Assemblies, but an abomination in the case of Senator Ekweremadu.
The PDP said it considered APC’s stance on Ekweremadu and the “continued persecution on this account as the height of duplicity, intolerance, and executive excesses unwarranted and inexcusable in a democracy.”
“More so, unlike APC’s rancorous opposition in parliament in the recent past, the PDP lawmakers, including Senator Ekweremadu has provided a very responsible opposition, supporting the government and overlooking
its serial fumbles. Ekweremadu is not APC’s stumbling block!
“We wish to remind the APC that the National Assembly is a separate arm of government created by Constitution, not an arm of the Executive or extension of the APC’s Party Secretariat.
“We totally align with the separate resolutions of the Senate and House of Representatives on 21st of June 2016 to the effect that our democracy is in grave danger.”
“We support the call on members of the International community, the media, and civil society to help arrest this scary deterioration of our nascent democracy and democratic values before it is too late. What is good for the goose is good also for the gander”
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22 Comments
This idiotic Adeyeye should keep shut.Same foolishness exhibited by Banjo when he joined forces with the coward Ojukwu only ot be killed by the same Ojukwu savage.
Awolowo understood the Igbos well and he rightly dealt with them.
This Adeyeye eaglet should keep quiet
So may I ask u, looking @ your comment – Is NIGERIANS ONE. Your statement promotes hate and ethno-social discord
Are you serious?
pot calling glass bottle black? Cowardice is a yorobber word. name one brave yorobber in the past 50 years. Why do you think yorobbers are NEVER given command in the military? look at Oladipo Diya begging Abacha on his knees like a school boy. cowardly race of imbeciles.
Politics aside, Saraki and Ekweremadu have got to distance themselves from the statement credited to Melaye – their “like mind” – on the floor of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that he was going to “beat and impregnate” a female Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Senator Tinubu
If that statement is true, then Melaye was essentially threatening to rape a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the floor of the senate
This is no longer time for play-play. Melaye – Saraki and Ekweremadu’s cohort – has gone too far.
Here is a man whose two ex wives – Tokunbo Fabiyi and Alero Falope – are said to have divorced him on account of spousal battery and who insulted the wife of Oshiomole by comparing her to a chattel threatening to rape a sitting Nigeria Senator in public
Saraki and Ekweremadu should get down on their knees, apologize to Senator Tinubu and all Nigerian women and ask for their forgiveness, on account of what their lust for power, has caused their “like mind” to say
The Senate should also censure Melaye and the people of Kogi State should recall Senator Melaye. He is becoming an eyesore in the senate
Enough is enough !
Additionally, it is about time that Nigeria scraps the senate. Nigeria would have gone much farther than it is today if the Nigerian Senate was scrapped in 1999. We do not need the senate. Most of them are a nuisance to Nigeria, their families and themselves
The about N30 million that each Nigerian senator makes per month, in salary and allowances – 3 senators per senatorial zone- can hire about 2,250 additional police officers, for each of the States in Nigeria, at a salary of N40,000 a month.
Perhaps, the only restructuring that Nigeria needs, is to scrap the senate and hire more police officers under a municipality police arrangement
Stealing APC’s election mandate on a forged rules book is treasonable felony. I hope members of PDP understands that.
Where was the theft?
In the national assembly.
A thief is a thief. Being your family members change nothing.
You didn’t answer the question, there’s no evidence of any theft it’s clear what happened this is just political games being played. For me I’m not even bothered let them all expose themselves Saraki had all sorts to say about Pdp now it’s his turn next it’ll be his accusers turn thats great but let’s be honest and call it what it is.
I am amazed that you can’t see the evidence of theft of Senate leadership with forged rules books with the backing of few rogue members of APC & entire PDP opposition.
It is not politics to steal what belong to others.
Tell you what, you can just tell me what the evidence is. I mean its as you say really obvious so I’m sure you can just reel it off. The rule books get changed every time there is a new senate they vote on it, Tinubu and his faction where not in attendance when this happened this this time that’s not forgery it’s politics. Please check our constitution the position of senate president doesn’t belong to anyone nor deputy senate president. Why didn’t pdp act in this same childish undemocratic way when the speaker switched parties? At least their childish behaviour was restricted to name calling and not grinding our legislature to a near halt in a petulant show of tantrum.
I hope you understand the forgery crime committed by Saraki & CO as explained by AGF & Minister of Justice explained to Senate committee. If not, I hope you leave the Courts to decide if crime was committed or not.
NASS/Senate has laydown procedures for changing their rules. It is a crime to forge that procedure.
The AGF made allegations, let’s see what the courts say because it is odd how it’s only the loosing side of apc that decided there was a fraud committed. I suppose you also believe that it was the ‘cabal’ that stuffed the budget too?
Jamie,
Courts are meant for aggrieved people{whose things are stolen or cheated} to seek justices all over the World.
No one has a right to forge Senate rules. It is a crime against our democracy like Coup De Tart or elections rigging.
Budget padding has been going on in Nigeria for years, this is why we have very rich civil & public servants. These thieves in our public office were exposed by Buhari’s government for the first time. I hope you not blame Ministers who exposed them. I hope those involved are charged & jailed soon.
I believe the APC group is just out to unfold their folly. Tambuwa under APC remained the House of Rep speaker in PDP controlled government till he was elected the Governor of Sokoto State. Ekweremadu has nothing to fear as far as I am concerned. He should keep cool and watch the APC and their games. I don’t belong to any of the parties but I do hate injustice.
BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY
Nothing is wrong with Ekeremandu smuggling himself into the position of Deputy President of the Senate by all means necessary.
Nothing is wrong with APC trying to get him out BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY
My problem here is
Is the PDP saying we should not resolve the issue of whether the empowering document was forged or not?
Imagine a baby born tomorrow reading that we were all aware there was a possibility that his/her grandparents suspected a document was ‘POSSIBLY” forged for the Senate leadership of his/her country, and we, HIS/HER GRANDPARENTS WERE TOO COWARDLY, TOO CONCILIATORY, TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH AND APPORTION BLAME?
Others may be alright with that, but I’ve got a problem with that.
.
Your worries are nothing to compare to mine. I would be very surprised and shocked if Nigerians or apc would sit down and allow this broad day robbery go unchallenged?
Can we be honest? We all know nothing was forged it was political horse trading Apc were too divided as they remain and lost out. Very simple.
I will be happy to be told BY THE COURT, that nothing was forged as you advanced.
That is the first stop in this exercise.
When we argue about the legality of an act,
THE COURT PRONOUNCES.
But this is the problem isn’t it, the court should not have jurisdiction in this matter. The senate has the power from the constitution to make its own rules, it’s happened before but now we comment below a comment by the Chairman of Apc betraying the clear political calculation behind the current court action. Yet you are still insisting this is a moral action?
Jamie,
Let me ask you one question:
Was there any allegation that a forged document was the foundation of the current Senate Leadership?
Should the same Senate,- which has no Consitutional rights to resolve matters of forgery of document to effect changes within it,- take the matter into its own hands, through the rule of the majority?
Or, should it be WILFULLY handed over by the Senate to the Third Arm of Government, the Judiciary, to adjudicate in this matter?
Or, you are saying, because vengeance is the motive by somebody, somewhere, the senate can simply say: WE DO NOT CARE WHETHER IT WAS FORGED OR NOT. THE RESULTING DEED IS DONE. LET’S MOVE ON.
WHAT DOES THE LAST OPTION LOOK TO THE HISTORIANS OF CONSTITUTIONAL EVOLUTION TOMORROW?
Please understand, I am not interested in the noise around the ascension of Saraki and his group. They are already there for a year and Heavens have not fallen. I do not care what Oyegun said.
I am only talking about that document as is, in the EVOLUTION OF OUR DEMOCRACY.
SHOULD WE JUST LEAVE IT ALONE BECAUSE TACKLING THE IMPLICATION OF A FRAUDULENT ACT IS WITCH-HUNTING?
And as for tambuwal, was there a forged document in question at that time that was deliberately, not resolved.
I am separating the document from all the sound and fury surrounding how this Senate acts within itself.
THE DOCUMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF IT.
It was applied ON TO IT, not applied WITHIN IT.
During the last 7th Assembly when the then speaker of the federal house of Rep’s and the current Governor of sokoto state engaged in bi_ partisan style of politic moving from the then ruling party to the opposition and still retaining his position, the then opposition APC saw no wrong in that. What right do they have to complain that of Ekweremadu who emerged through a valid vote from his colleagues across the party line. We know from the onset that all this clandestine moves has been target at removing Ekweremadu as a principal officer which is never possible. The legislature is a separate arm of government and the legislators has the right to choose who presides over them. The earlier the APC chairman oyegun gets that into his head and think more of how to improve the welfare of the citizens of this country the better for them.
We will review and take appropriate action.