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Tag: Ekweremadu

  • Justice minister stalls Saraki, Ekweremadu’s forgery trial

    Justice minister stalls Saraki, Ekweremadu’s forgery trial

    The scheduled commencement of trial in the alleged forgery case against Senate President Bukola Saraki and three others was yesterday stalled. Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami was yet to make available the documents needed for the prosecution.

    Leader of the prosecution team, Aliyu Umar (SAN), told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi, Abuja, that over a month after the AGF constituted his team to prosecute the case, it was yet to be furnished with necessary materials for its prosecution.

    Umar said, while the AGF was yet to avail his team with the case file, some of the motions filed by the defendants, particularly the one filed by Saraki since June, challenging his trial, was only brought to his (Umar’s) attention on September 26.

    He sought for an adjournment to enable him “put his house in order” and prepare his reactions to the series of motions filed by the four defendants in their opposition to their trial.

    Umar’s revelation and his subsequent application angered everyone in court including the judge and lawyers to the defendants.

    The trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, expressed reservations over the prosecution’s request for adjournment and its inability to respond to the motions filed by three of the four defendants over 90 days ago.

    Defence lawyers – senior advocates Paul Erokoro, Joseph Daudu, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu and Mahmud Magaji – frowned at the development, describing it as a ploy by the prosecution to frustrate the trial, having realised that it has no case against the defendants.

    Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeture were arraigned on June 27 on a two-count charge  of criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules used for the election that produced the current leadership of the Senate.

    According to the prosecution, the offence of conspiracy is punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act, while the offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” is punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

    Shortly after their arraignment on June 27, the court fixed July 11 for the commencement of trial, but had to reschedule it for September 28 when the earlier date fell within the court’s annual long vacation.

    The prosecution was expected to call its first set of witnesses yesterday when Umar disclosed that the prosecution was unprepared.

    Erokoro (lawyer to Saraki) objected to Umar’s request for adjournment. He noted that the case had been salted for trial since June.

    Erokoro contended that if the AGF found it difficult to handover the case file to the lawyer he freely appointed, the better option was for the court to terminate the case and allow the defendants to go home.

     He noted that his client had filed a motion since June 22, which has been served on the AGF. He said the motion was questioning the competence of the charge on the grounds that it constituted an abuse of court process because a similar case involving the AGF was pending before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Daudu (representing Ekweremadu)  faulted the prosecution’s request for an adjournment.

  • Senate to probe decline in electoral systems

    The Senate on Tuesday mandated its committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the activities of the commission in the last one year of its operations.

    The committee is to specially review the performance of INEC in the last one year with a view to ascertaining the factors that may have caused the perceived decline of the electoral system within the period.

    The upper chamber urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately nominate suitable qualified persons to fill the vacant positions at INEC in line with the Constitution to enhance the capacity of the commission to conduct conclusive elections.

    It also asked the electoral umpire to immediately conclude all pending rerun elections in the country.

    The resolutions followed a motion by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, titled: “Inconclusive elections.”

    The upper chamber expressed apprehension over the conduct of 2019 general election if many inconclusive elections were hanging all over the country.

    Apart from inconclusive elections, Ekweremadu, noted that at least 20 states of the federation have no Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) contrary to Section 14 (2) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended).

  • Forgery: Police reopen probe of Saraki, Ekweremadu

    Forgery: Police reopen probe of Saraki, Ekweremadu

    The Nigeria Police Force has reopened investigation into the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules 2015 by writing to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mr. Mohammed Sani Omolori for additional information to assist its investigation.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki,  his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the immediate past Clerk to the National Assembly(CNA), Salisu Maikasuwa, are  already standing trial and the hearing of the case will continue on Wednesday.

    But Saraki and Ekweremadu’s camps have kicked against attempt by the police to reopen the probe after the police had declared the initial investigation conclusive.

    The police renewal of the investigation of the forgery was contained in a letter of  25th of August, 2016, which was signed by the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel(SIP),  AIG Ali Amodu (Rtd).

    There were indications that the reopening of the case by the police was at the prompting of the National Prosecution Coordination Committee(NPCC) in an August 19, 2016 letter to the Inspector-General, Mr. Idris Ibrahim.

    The letter reads in part: “I refer to letter no. DPPA/ADV/25875, dated  19th August 2015 in respect of the above subject matter(copy attached for each of reference) and request  that you avail this office with the following information:

    •      Whether or not , the 7th Senate at any time amends the Senate Standing Orders 2011.
    •      If yes, what is the extent of amendment?
    •      The name of the officer that  authorised the amendment of Senate Standing Orders 2015.
    •      The name of the officer that ordered for the printing  of the Senate Standing Orders 2015.
    •      The officer that distributed the printed copies of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 to Senators-elect.
    •      What date was the induction mentioned by Senator Abdullahi Gumel?
    •      What  did they do with the Senate Standing Order of 2011 at the induction”
    •      Who conducted the induction?

    “Obtain the complete  Hansard  of the 9th and 24th June, 2015 to see what transpired on the floor of the Senate.

    “The statement of Dr. Ogozy Nma should be  brought to the attention of Senator Ita Enang and Senator Abu Ibrahim to corroborate or deny it.

    “What is the date Senator Ike Ekweremadu presided over the house and obtains the hansard for the date.

    “Considering the importance of this case, you are requested to expedite action on the request. Accept the assurances of my highest regards.”

    It was gathered that National Prosecution Coordination Committee(NPCC) in an August 19 letter directed the  Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, to fill up the grey areas in its previous investigation.

    The letter was signed by the Special Assistant to the President(Research  and Special Projects/ Secretary NPCC,  Sylvester Omoregie Imhanobe.

    The letter said: “Sir, I have the instructions of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice(HAGF) /Chairman, National Prosecution Coordination Committee(NPCC) to write this letter for your kind prompt action.

    “The NPCC and the new legal team engaged to take  over the prosecution of the above case have reviewed the case file and found that the police investigation of the case is inconclusive.

    “Therefore, it is necessary that you further investigate the case with particular reference to the following:

    •      Did the 7th Senate at any time amend the Senate  Standing  Orders 2011?
    •      If yes, what is the extent  of amendment?

    “Further investigation should show:

    •      Who authorized the amendment of Senate Standing Orders 2011.
    •      Who ordered the printing  of the Senate Standing Orders 2015.
    •      Who distributed the printed copies of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 to Senators-elect.

    “Obtain the complete  Hansard  of the 9th and 24th June 2015 to see what  transpired on the floor of the Senate.

    “What date was the induction mentioned by Senator Abdullahi Gumel?  What did they do with  the Senate Standing Orders 2011 at the induction? Who conducted the induction?

    “The statement of Dr. Ogozy Nma should be  brought to the attention of Senator Ita Enang and Senator Abu Ibrahim to corroborate or deny it.

    “Find out the date Senator Ike Ekweremadu presided over the house and obtain the hansard for the date.

    “Please, it is important  that I receive your  response  to the above inquiries on or before the 7th of September for further necessary action. Please accept the assurances of my warm regards and best wishes.”

  • Rejig your cabinet, Ekweremadu tells Buhari

    Rejig your cabinet, Ekweremadu tells Buhari

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to shake up his cabinet.

    Speaking during the review of the state of the economy, Ekweremadu said: “The President needs to look at his cabinet. He has to put square pegs in round holes. Senator Udo Udoma is my friend, an accomplished lawyer for that matter, but in fairness to him I believe he can do better in another ministry, especially like trade and investment; certainly not Budget and Planning.

    “The minister for Finance can do much better in another ministry. At this critical time, we need somebody who is more experienced to man the Ministry of Finance so that he can be able to coordinate the strategies for this recovery.

     ”I also believe that we need to have all hands on deck right now. It does not matter their religion, it does not matter their party. We need to go all out and look for the best brain to come and help us to come out of this recession. America was in recession in 1930s; they recovered within three years. What did they do, all Americans came together, irrespective of your political persuasion, and they were able to pass solution. At this point, it does not matter to us whether you are APC or PDP or you are non-aligned. The important thing is that the President has to look for the best people to come together to proffer solutions, it does not matter which party you belong.”

     Senator Akume said: “When we say that the blame game is over, I want to emphasise that the blame game is not yet over. We have to know what went wrong.

     ”Most of us were governors and we knew what President Obasanjo did to create huge reserves for this country and saved for the rainy day. That was why by the time he was leaving, over $60 billion was in our foreign reserves: this was very important.”

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, said: “It is very unfortunate that we found ourselves where we are deliberately because we should have forecast that dependence on oil revenue cannot be sustainable. I must say this very clearly that the poor in Nigeria have always lived under recession. And what this recession has done is to increase their hardship.

    “You can’t depend on one source of revenue and not find yourself in this kind of situation. We must cut interest rate, start diversification of the economy, empower small businesses so that they will be able to produce and export. The key to getting out of this is export of goods, services.  And I don’t think finding scapegoats and shifting blame can solve the problem. Removing the Minister of Finance will not be able to get us out of this problem because this recession is not Nigeria alone. It is all countries that are dependent on oil revenue.”

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator John Enoh, noted that the time to think about new direction and new ways of doing that has come.

  • How to end Fulani herdsmen attacks, by Ekweremadu

    How to end Fulani herdsmen attacks, by Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu yesterday frowned on incessant attacks in Igbo land and other parts of the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    He advised the affected states to pass legislations that would restrict cattle rearing to modern ranches. The senator also suggested the setting up of forest rangers to enforce such laws.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said Ekweremadu noted that unless Nigeria was restructured to make it more efficient and productive, it would be difficult for the country to wriggle out of its security challenges, pervasive poverty and retarded growth.

    The deputy senate president said successive leaders would only be dealing with the symptoms and not the root causes of a festering illness.

    The statement said Ekweremadu spoke at the weekend in New York, the United States of America (U.S.A), during this year’s Convention of the World Igbo Congress (WIC).

    The senator noted that while the country awaited the much-needed restructuring, the incessant havoc by suspected Fulani herdsmen was unacceptable because it had monumental socio-economic consequences on the nation.

    He hailed various state governments for managing the humanitarian crisis resulting from the attacks and for ensuring that there was no breakdown of law and order.

    Ekweremadu said every legitimate step should be taken to end the herdsmen menace and avoid a situation where the people would resort to self-help.

    He said: “Governments of the various states in Igbo land and indeed other parts of the country should immediately consider enacting legislations that confine cattle-rearing to modern ranches, as obtainable in developed societies.

    “In fact, our governments could go a step further to invest in constructing and leasing out modern ranches.

    “This will produce healthier animals, give better produce, provide employment, added value to the farm produce and help in promoting peaceful co-existence as well as sifting armed bandits and terrorists from real farmers doing legitimate business.”

    Ekweremadu warned that the enforcement of such measures should not be left to federal security agencies alone.

    He said: “Sadly, when you enact laws to checkmate the menace, as Ekiti State has commendably done, you will still rely on the same security institutions to enforce them. This is the dilemma.

    “Therefore, our state governments should take   further steps by ensuring that such legislations provide for enforcement bodies, such as Forest Rangers, which will consistently comb the forests to ensure that those who run foul of the laws are arrested and speedily prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.”

    The deputy Senate president regretted that “successive military regimes reneged on the core ingredients of a federal structure agreed upon by our founding fathers at various constitutional conferences leading up to independence, as the basis of the Nigerian union”.

    He added: “Over the years, we have moved from a strong and viable three-regional federal structure to a weak, spendthrift and unwieldy 36-state structure. We moved from a decentralised police system that allowed the federating units to take greater charge of security of life and property in their territories to a centralised police system in which one man at the centre pretends to be in full charge of security of lives and property in the creeks of the Niger Delta, the cocoa farms of the Southwest, the expansive land mass of the North and the hinterlands of the Southeast.

    “We also moved from fiscal federalism, which encouraged productivity and competitive development to a feeding bottle federalism that runs on free oil money, encouraging indolence, corruption and lack of creativity in governance.

    “Now, you can see why the cost of governance is so high; why states can no longer pay salaries; why neither the Federal Government nor the federating units cared to invest, but lived off their allocations like lottery proceeds over the years; why it is difficult for a state governor to sack rampaging suspected herdsmen and why those who have the authority to call the security agencies to action to stop the menace may not be quick in their response.”

    Ekweremadu urged the Ndigbo in the Diaspora to join the current debate on Nigeria’s restructuring because “it is at the heart of the forward-movement”.

    The senator regretted that efforts and calls to restructure the country had always fallen on deaf ears because some people felt favoured by the current arrangement.

    He insisted that the message should be continually passed that “he who pins another to the floor is also detaining himself”.

    Ekweremadu said: “With good faith and realistic restructuring, every part of Nigeria, Igbo land inclusive, will explode in prosperity, the expected initial challenges notwithstanding. The good thing is that we can set a timeline and adopt an incremental approach to allay unfounded fears and misgivings that have held us down.”

  • Igbo group in Kano raises alarm over alleged plot to remove Ekweremadu

    Igbo group in Kano raises alarm over alleged plot to remove Ekweremadu

    The Kano State chapter of Aninri Local Government Union yesterday raised the alarm over alleged plots to remove their son, Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.

    Senator Ekweremadu’s kinsmen feared that a group of powerful politicians have perfected plans to unseat him, describing the move as act of injustice to Ndigbo.

    In a Press statement signed by Chief Moses Odi and Mr. Gabriel Aniude, President-General and Secretary-General of the Union, the union noted that recent political attacks on Senator Ekweremadu is a clear indication that some powerful people are gunning for his seat.

    The statement further described Ekweremadu as “a true son of Aninri and good ambassador of Ndigbo who needs the sympathy and support of all Igbo sons and daughters. From every calculation, there is no gainsaying the fact that Senator Ekweremadu remains a beckon of hope to the political emancipation the Igbo race and Nigeria at large.”

    The statement further stated: “Going by Senator Ekweremadu’s rising political profile; enemies of democracy who have foreseen his fortunes and prospects have now resorted to cheap blackmail, back-biting and name-calling all in their bid to run him down.”

    The statement also frowned at recent comments credited to Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha on plans by the All Progressive Congress senator from Imo State to take over Senator Ekweremadu’s seat as Deputy Senate President.

    “In as much as it is not a crime for a political godfather to secure job for his godson, we the kinsmen of Ike Ekweremadu frown at such  comment coming from a highly respected Igbo son in the person of Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

    “We have taken time to analyze Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s latest comments and attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu; and we have come to the conclusion that such disrespectful comments were weaved to run down the political career of the Deputy Senate President.”

     

  • Alleged forgery: Ekweremadu restates innocence

    Alleged forgery: Ekweremadu restates innocence

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has reinstated his innocence in the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules filed against him by the Federal Government.

    He said his only offence was becoming Senate Deputy President against the wishes of the “powers that be”.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said Ekweremadu spoke yesterday when members of Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee visited him at his Enugu home.

    The statement said then Deputy Senate President insisted that his “hands were clean”.

    It said Ekweremadu, who is also a member of the high-powered Economic Advisory Committee set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the inception of his administration, reiterated his commitment to the principles of the separation of power, independence of the Legislature and growth of the nation’s democracy.

    He said: “I am indeed humbled by your solidarity. As they say, the true test of a man is not where he stands in the time of comfort; it is where he stands when there is a crisis. Many people may not take this step of faith because of the situation we found ourselves in the country. Some may be afraid of their liberty and afraid of any reprisal. But you have stepped out to come and show solidarity and ask questions in a matter concerning one of your sons.

    “Let me start by reinstating my innocence; that I committed no offence or forged any documents. None of the accused persons, to the best of my knowledge, committed any offence, let alone forged any document. Let me also say that no senator accused me, the President of the Senate or the other people of committing any offence. No senator or bureaucrat accused us of forging any document.”

  • Ekweremadu to deliver U.S. Constitution Day lecture

    Ekweremadu to deliver U.S. Constitution Day lecture

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu will deliver the 2016 edition of the United States of America (USA) Constitution Day Lecture, entitled: “Influence of the U.S Constitution on African Democracies”.

    A statement by the Special Adviser, Media, to Ekweremadu, Uche Anichukwu, said the nomination was announced by the U.S Law Library of Congress, organisers of the annual event, at the weekend.

    It said by this, Ekweremadu, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, would be the first non-U.S citizen to deliver the lecture commemorating the ratification of the world’s oldest written constitution on September 17, 1787.

  • The race for Ekweremadu’s seat

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was his usual boisterous self recently, when he boasted in a magisterial audacity, to oust the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. And as the latest political Mr. fix-it, he declared that his man-Friday, Benjamin Uwajimogu would metamorphose from his senatorial debut to replace Ekweremadu. That would, in Okorocha’s self-serving calculation, be a reward for being the only APC Senator from the South-east. Great logic! Power is indeed the greatest aphrodisiac (apologies to Henry Kissinger). Late Gen. Sani Abacha’s despotic obsession notwithstanding, he had to even meander through a subterfuge of leprous fingers of the then five political parties, to white-wash his botched ambition to appear ‘people-driven’.

    The whole plot against Ekweremadu will end up as the historically damaging United States Vietnamese experience. His offence borders on membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and occupying the number two position in the Senate, at a time when APC is the ruling party. After all, when PDP was in charge, it took everything. They must therefore go for his jugular. But what Ekweremadu’s accusers fail to understand is that APC’s victory came with a slim margin which could alter precedents and throw up hunting spheres for sophisticated politicking. Nigerians are aware that Rochas was merely re-echoing the stale conspiracy of political storm-troopers against Ekweremadu in the national political chessboard. It is what is known in African folklore as the twittering of a sparrow dancing in the middle of the road, to the drumbeats of a deity in a nearby evil forest. I pity Ndigbo! It is appalling that our present crop of leaders fail to appreciate the strategic gains of the principle of ‘Be your brother’s keeper’, which made Igbo race to be revered and dreaded before the Nigerian civil war. My generation is greatly maligned by the tomfoolery, cluelessness, unregulated individualism and a clear absence of strategic thinking of the people who mount the rostrum for us. This sycophantic macabre dance to out-do one another in trying to impress the men of power at Abuja is one of the inherent contradictions of Ndigbo’s corporate personality in the mainstream of national politics.

    Who will not remember the way northerners in the House of Representatives (irrespective of political parties) rallied around the former Speaker Ghali Umar Na’Abba and saved him from the plundering presidential power that wanted to unseat him at all costs? Is it not shameful that Ndigbo must always strive to pull down one another in any position given to them at the national level? The familiar fingerprints played out when the senate presidency was zoned to the South-east. The same ghost pervaded the office of national chairman of PDP when it was zoned to the South-east. The unceremonious exit of Okwesilieze Nwodo, after Prince Vincent Ogbulafor was ousted, coupled with the unwillingness of the then governors to field a replacement from the zone, made Ndigbo to lose that slot, and unfortunately, that vacuum created is at the root of the intractable leadership crisis bedevilling PDP today. Why must it be Governor Rochas Okorocha that had the unenviable assignment to announce the manhunt for his brother’s seat? For sure, it is a fact in dialectics that the most effective weapon in destroying an endangered group by the ruling class is to engage the service of a willing pawn among them. In any case, political mercantilism is like the adventures of the sorcerer’s apprentice. Would Rochas be taking on this wild goose chase gambling if Ekweremadu did not exploit his ranking status and legislative dexterity to get elected in the only position, which gives a resemblance of belongingness for Ndigbo in the Nigerian tripod arrangement?  It is only a gate-crasher with ‘notice me’ mentality that would jubilate over a town-crier role in a setting of jackboot scorched earth policy against fellow kinsmen. Our people should learn from the warm relationships that existed between David Mark as the Senate President and Gabriel Suswan as Governor of Benue State as well as the cordiality between former Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and then Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji  Wammako.  I hope Governor Rochas knows that Ndigbo need a voice to speak truth to power in the face of greatest form of marginalization in the post-civil war Nigeria. Ndigbo will like Owelle to explain the rationale for the absence of any Igbo man in the leadership of major security formations in Nigeria. What about the 2016 capital expenditure in the federal budget of Lagos State which is geometrically far above what is allocated to the entire five states in the South-east? We need to know what caused the ethnic cleansing in the military in which over 75% of persons affected by the recent sack were officers from the South-east and South-south.  Ndigbo would be interested to know the justification for the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB while Fulani herdsmen that brandished AK-47 assault rifles are walking the streets free? What about the broad day light killings of Igbo youngsters that were exercising their inalienable rights of peaceful protest by the Nigerian soldiers?  Can Rochas remind the powers-that-be that since the 250 members of civilian JTF in Borno State were good for absorption into the military, it would also be good to restore the guarding of onshore pipelines to the Niger Delta ex-militants in preparation for their absorption into the Nigerian Navy, instead of raining bullets in the beleaguered communities. My take is that Rochas is playing a script that he kept to his chest. Any possible presidential material from the South-east is a threat, and therefore should be warded off or be decimated politically. That is why Owelle is very critical of any kite flown in the media by any political party especially PDP, of a possible zoning of vice presidential or presidential slot to the South-east.  Who does not know that common sense demands that in a land where the ruling class (through utterances and dispositions) declared to reduce a certain people to second class citizens, the last man standing should be guarded with livid jealousy, like an only son in a family in need of perpetuity. What Ndigbo need now is a broad-based inter-party collaboration driven by enlightened self-interest in order moderate the smouldering tension and flak of mass anger at home, accentuated by feelings of alienation and deprivations in the national political economy. The former governor of old Imo State, Dee Sam Mbakwe, though elected under the opposition NPP, was legendary and earned the status of a weeping governor because of his dexterous civilized approach and engagement with the NPN-led Federal Government, which paid off in leapfrogging development efforts in the war-torn Igboland. Let Rochas sheathe his sword and allow Ekweremadu be. At least, Ekweremadu’s recent magnanimity and timely distribution of largesse of over N40 million to his constituents at a time when many Nigerians go to bed without food, will keep the heavenly angels of the beneficiaries awake to fight for him.

     

    • Dr. Uche can be reached on freshhope4me@yahoo.com
  • We’ll make Ekweremadu lose DSP post, says Okorocha

    We’ll make Ekweremadu lose DSP post, says Okorocha

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday said Ike Ekweremadu’s position as Deputy Senate President may no longer be tenable, with the expected emergence of Benjamin Uwajumogu as Imo North senator-elect.

    Uwajumogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is leading his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) opponent  Athan Acholonu with almost  9,000 votes in the results declared after weekend’s rerun.

    The polls were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because of violence in some of the electoral units. Elections in the area with about 15,000 registered voters will be held before the final results are declared.

    Okorocha is confident that Uwajumogu will win the seat.

    Speaking during a thank-you party organised for APC members, the governor described Ekweremadu’s emergence as the deputy senate president to an APC Senate President as an aberration.

    He said: “The position of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President is at moment under serious threat because in no distant time, Uwajumogu will emerge as the APC Senator from Imo State.

    “Senator Ekweremadu knowns that such a development is not only feasible but inevitable and that was why he fully funded the candidate of the PDP in the rerun senatorial poll in Okigwe zone. He relocated to the state for three days before the election date.

    “The victory of the APC in the rerun poll for Okigwe senatorial zone is a “victory for the whole of Southeast APC in general and the people of the geo-political zone in particular” .

    The governor canvassed that “the National Assembly members from Imo State on the platform of PDP should be recalled to face proper election because none of them won an election but  used their Federal might and the security agencies to write results for themselves in the 2015 election. And now that sanity has been restored, they should be made to come and face real election.

    “The PDP in the state has never won any election since 2003, but has written results for themselves, using intimidation and harassment to achieve their goal of producing results and forcing INEC to declare them winners on the basis of the false results.”

    Okorocha added: “It appears it has become part of the political culture of the state that every election in the state must be declared inconclusive; otherwise, there was no reason Saturday’s election could have been declared inconclusive because of one ward (Osuachara) out of the 64 wards in the Okigwe senatorial zone and with the APC candidate leading his rival with more than eight thousand votes.”