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Tag: Ekweremadu

  • ‘Ekweremadu fighting Buhari instead of attracting development’

    Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Osita Okechukwu has lashed out at Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu for “using the last three years to fight President Muhammadu Buhari instead of attracting goodies to Enugu West”.

    He said: “My brother, Senator Ekweremadu, instead of joining Buhari’s RRAP (Roads, Rail, Agriculture and Power) Projects, spent the last three years fighting him. By his inclination to self, he failed to utilise the Anchor Borrowers or any of the agricultural programmes to develop rice, cassava, cashew or palm farms. By the grace of God and my people, I, as a senator, will key into Mr President’s projects to develop rice and cassava integrated farms.”

    Okechukwu, who addressed APC delegates in Awgu, Enugu West, regretted that Ekweremadu, rather than giving his people effective representation, dissipated energy in fighting President Buhari.

    He said: “What Senator Ekweremadu has been doing in the Senate in the last three years is fighting Mr President and not lawmaking. I was one of those who thought that his objective of smuggling himself into deputy senate president was to help our people. Rather, he poisoned Senator Bukola Saraki’s chalice and by extension that of the eighth Senate.”

    Okechukwu lamented that such a ranking senator had chosen to make the Senate a battle ground and abandoning a vital road in his senatorial district, such as Oji-Awgu federal highway, to become a death trap.

    He maintained that it will be a delusion to expect Ekweremadu to achieve anything if given another four years when his score card for Enugu West is not commensurate to his 16 years sojourn in the senate.

    Okechukwu said he was inspired to run for senate by a desire to revamp the abundant coal deposits in Enugu State.

    He said: “What inspired me to run for Senate is that I know how poor I am and how poor my constituency is. Enugu State has at least 10 higher institutions and they produce over 2,000 graduates every year, but there are no jobs. That is why we migrate to South Africa and they kill us.

    “When Professor Barth Nnaji was Minister of Power, we started the journey to revamp Enugu Coal. He set aside five Coal fields and designated them for Coal to Power, so as to generate 1,000 megawatts. We continued with Professor Nebo. Its been six good years talk about coal. They said it was no longer in vogue. Yet, it produces 80 percent of electricity in India and 65 percent of electricity in South Africa.

    “When Buhari came, we persisted. Methinks as a senator, one will actualise the objective of revamping Enugu Coal to generate electricity and provide employment to thousands of youths.

    “I have a good relationship with Mr. President, the Vice President and almost all the Ministers. None of my other contenders for the APC ticket have this level of contact. All these are crystal clear. As a senator, I do not need to wait two hours to see Mr President. Now, you (delegates) spent money to come here. If I win, will I forget you? Capital No! I paid my dues and Buhari did not forget me. In the same way, if I get to the Senate, I will never forget you.”

    But Ekweremadu described Okechukwu as a man seeking relevance, and the only avenue he thinks he can get is to attack him.

    He said: “From Mr Okechukwu’s comments, it is obvious he is just an upcoming propagandist who has no political value, both to his party and his constituency. As such, his only chance of getting attention is to mention the name Ekweremadu and the media will consider his story.

    “Mr. Okechukwu appreciates that he has nothing to offer  since blowing up his friendship and goodwill with the president because of his inexperience and loquacious nature which has negatively pitched the president against many well-meaning Nigerians. This eventually pushed him out of favour both within people in Abuja and a lot of Ndigbo.

    “To this extent, I wonder if any meaningful political party will nominate him as their candidate not to talk of his wining any election anywhere in Nigeria.”

  • Six-year term okay, says Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate Presiddent Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday renewed his call for a single six-year term for President and governors.

    For him, “This will substantially reduce the political tensions and executive excesses that come with self-succession.”

    In a facebook post, Ekweremdu added that the option is the only way to stop desperation in the political system.

    He said: “As is always the case, Nigeria’s political atmosphere is getting toxic ahead of the 2019 general election and governance is taking a backseat.

    “Unfortunately, this atmosphere, with the accompanying brazen political excesses, are unlikely to abate until well after the 2019 general elections.

    ”The feverish political climate in the country today, once again, justifies the call by some of us for a single term of five or six years for the president and governors.

    “Although a renewable four-year term is popular, societies are dynamic and it is up to us to make necessary constitutional adjustments to safeguard our democracy and make periods leading up to our elections less toxic.

    ”We proposed a single term for the President and Governors with several transitional options during the constitution amendment exercise in the 7th National Assembly.

    “Unfortunately, it was misunderstood by various political and sectional interests for various reasons and the proposal did not succeed.”

  • PDP raises alarm over alleged plot to arrest Saraki, Ekweremadu

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm, saying it has again uncovered a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to invite, arrest and detain Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu.

    In a statement yesterday by the spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party accused a certain “cabal within the Presidency” of plotting to use compromised security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to execute the plot.

    The PDP also stated that it has unraveled fresh facts confirming that the pressure by the Presidency for the reconvening of the Senate was borne out of a sinister motive and not for any emergency in the approval of the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 elections.

    The statement said: “The fresh plot to detain the two presiding officers is part of renewed design to keep them out of circulation, ahead of Senate resumption, so as to enable the heavily induced APC senators, who are now in the minority, to throw up two of their members as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively on the excuse that Saraki and Ekweremadu failed to show up for proceedings in the Senate.

    “Apart from plots to arrest and detain Saraki and Ekweremadu, the PDP has also been made aware of plans to use the EFCC and security forces to clamp down on their family members, including their wives and siblings as well as close associate, all in the effort to weaken their resolve.

    “PDP was further informed that contrary to claims by the APC and the Presidency, INEC actually submitted the budget to the Presidency since February 2018, only for the Presidency to submit it to the National Assembly in July when the legislature was already going on recess; with a view to enmesh it in a needless controversy.

  • APC to Saraki, Ekweremadu: you’re raising false alarm

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has described the alarm raised by Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, on alleged plans by the presidency to indict them, as “crying wolf where none exists.”

    The duo three days ago alleged that the presidency wanted to use the report of investigation of the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives’ invasion of the National Assembly to indict them.

    The state Chairman of APC Caretaker Committee, Bashir Bolarinwa, told reporters at the weekend in Ilorin from the sideline of Kwara Youth Leadership and Economic Summit, with the theme: ‘Making Kwara youth catalyst for economic, socio and political development’

    that “in the first instance I don’t know how they got such report, when the report of the investigation has not been made public.

    “Their alarm raises some kind of suspicion. It shows they are likely to have had a hand in the invasion saga. If the executive arm of government has decided to sack the director-general of the DSS because of the incident, it is even enough to absolve the government.

    “For anybody to think otherwise and says he is going to be indicted is like crying wolf where there is none.

    If they say APC senators wanted to impeach them and that was what led to the siege to the National Assembly, but that day on the floor of the assembly you hardly could count the number of APC senators.

    “It is clear that the whole thing was stage managed. It appears they have a skeleton in their cupboard.”

    Reacting to one of the panelists’ caustic diatribe on the president’s performance, the former House of Representatives member urged Nigerians not to judge President Muhammadu Buhari’s three years in office with his performance.

    “It will not be fair for Nigerians to judge President Buhari based on the three years he has spent. It is easy to destroy than to repair,” he added.

    On the alleged poverty in the state, he said that “governments in state, being in the control of one man, have deliberately impoverished the people of the state so that we can continue to look up to them.”

    Aligning with the APC chair, a governorship aspirant, Alhaji Lukeman Mustapha, promised to support youths for their emancipation.

    Said he: “I join the over 50 per cent Kwara youths today to stake claim for political and economic emancipation with a new spirit of rebirth. The system might have failed us and the social order might have boxed us to the disadvantaged corner, but when a long-time legacy fails a society, there is need for rebirth with ideas and innovations for development.”

  • NASS invasion: Presidency plotting to indict, jail us, say Saraki, Ekweremadu

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, alleged yesterday plan by the Federal Government to  implicate them and some of their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Tuesday’s invasion of the National Assembly complex by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    They said the alleged plan also entails sending them to jail as part of effort to remove them from the leadership of the Senate.

    Saraki and Ekweremadu said in a statement through their media aides that  the Presidency has constituted  a panel to review the report submitted to it by Police Inspector General Idris Ibrahim on the DSS operation.

    “The mandate of this closet panel is to turn facts on the head and blame the invasion of the National Assembly on the two leaders of the red chamber of the National Assembly, who will now be presented as having worked in tandem with the sacked Director General of the DSS, Mallam Lawal Daura, to stage the parliamentary security breach,” they said.

    They added: “We have been reliably informed that instead of the Presidency to set up a public inquiry or judicial commission to probe last Tuesday’s early morning invasion of the National Assembly as being demanded by the general public, they have commenced a process of manipulation and fabrication.

    “They want to shield the fact that the previous night before the invasion and up till the early hours of Tuesday, there was a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators and that the plan was for them to be moved in a Coaster bus into the National Assembly complex later that morning for them to purportedly remove us and select a new Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

    “Their plot only failed because the media, particularly social media, Nigerians and international community responded very swiftly as some legislators who came into the complex were refused entry by gun-wielding, hooded security operatives.

    “Now, they want to turn the facts on its head and blame us for their botched plot against democracy. We are hereby alerting all Nigerians and members of the international community that the present Nigerian government will stop at nothing to destroy, suppress and incapacitate the opposition.”

  • You can’t remove Saraki, Ekweremadu – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacks the legislative number and constitutional facilities to remove Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

    In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Friday in Abuja, the party advised the Presidency and the APC to “accept the reality’’.

    It said that Presidency and the APC, having realized that there was no way they could muster the constitutionally required two-third votes of the 109 senators, representing 73 senators, was now engaged in under-hand tactics.

    These, according to it, include the invasion of the National Assembly.

    “Even before then, Nigerians were already aware of moves to use humongous funds to induce lawmakers to trigger crisis in the National Assembly and pave the way for the removal of presiding officers.

    Read Also: Guber poll: Saraki, Mark to reconcile PDP aggrieved members in Osun

    “Now that they have discovered that there is no way they can achieve their devious intentions, they have commenced a war of blackmail,
    distortions of fact and media trial against the Senate leadership.”

    It said that the attempts would end up as another wasteful venture as Nigerians were aware of the long-drawn desperation to annex the legislature.

    The PDP added that even among the ranks of APC senators and members of House of Representatives, there is huge aversion to the tactics being deployed to force out duly elected presiding officers of the assembly.

    It said that such lawmakers were fully aligned with Nigerians, the PDP and the national assembly leadership in the protection of the independence, sanctity and integrity of the parliament and all democratic institutions in the country.

    “It is therefore instructive for both the Presidency and the APC to know that there is no way they can remove the leadership of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate.”

    It cautioned against over-heating the polity and attempts to circumvent rules and the Constitution, saying that such would not change the resolve of Nigerians to vote out APC in 2019.

  • ‘Ekweremadu should leave Ndigbo out of his ordeal’

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI), is  shocked by the ethnic dimension being given to the investigation into the activities of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    In a statement in Enugu by its Executive Secretary, Chief Dennis Aghanya, ARDI said: “Our position is that he should answer to the issues raised by the EFCC over the alleged 60 assets traced to him rather than apply all sorts of delay tactics to slow down investigation. Where justice is delayed or denied over a public matter, it is the masses that suffer.

    “He should also stop giving it the colouration of a persecution against the Ndigbo. Politicians should stop using religion and ethnicity to divide us in this country or paint security agencies black.”

    The anti-corruption group also frowned at the involvement of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in the matter.

    ARDI said: “A very worrisome dimension to an issue of this nature also is the role of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which sees every prosecution of public officers of its extraction as being unjustly persecuted rather than caution such persons for bringing shame to the organisation.”

    ARDI said it got worried when it read reports that Ekweremadu took ill last Tuesday during interrogation by operatives of the EFCC and was granted permission to get medical attention.

  • Ekweremadu opens up on EFCC probe

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday revealed what transpired between him and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.

    He said it was true that he told the EFCC that he was not feeling well, but not based on a fresh list of properties shown him.

    He said he was examined by a doctor attached to the EFCC and it was confirmed he was unwell.

    Ekweremadu is being probed by the anti-graft agency for allegedly acquiring about 60 properties with suspicious funds.

    The Federal Government had already filed a motion in a Federal High Court for an interim forfeiture order on 22 of the assets.

    Although he appeared for a second round of investigation on Wednesday, he faulted media reports on what transpired.

    Ekweremadu opened up on his date with the EFCC in  a statement through his Special Adviser on Media,  Uche Anichukwu.

    The statement said: “My attention has been drawn to false reports in some national dailies that the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, developed high blood pressure in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (upon alleged presentation to him of a fresh set of purported ‘hidden properties’ supposedly acquired by him. There is no truth to this propaganda.

    “It would be recalled that operatives of the EFCC and men of the Nigeria Police laid siege to his residence at about 6am on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, requesting him to report at its headquarters at 10am the same Tuesday. However, no letter of invitation was delivered to him until around 9am of that day.

    “Since the siege would not allow him to honour the belated invitation the same day, he, as a law-abiding citizen, wrote to the EFCC to request another date, hence the rescheduled appointment of Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

    “Senator Ekweremadu honoured the 10am appointment on the fixed date and left in the evening of the same day when he was granted bail on self-recognisance, with an understanding that he would report at the EFCC Office at 10am the next day for a continuation of the interview.

    “He reported at the EFCC Office on Wednesday, August 1, 2018, at 10am as scheduled, but informed them that he was not feeling well, a fact the EFCC’s doctor confirmed.

    “He was then allowed to leave to see his doctor and it was agreed that a new date would be fixed for the continuation of the interview.

    “The office feels compelled by the mischief and orchestrated media trial to put the facts straight on this particular issue.”

    In suit FHC/ABJ/CS/284/2018, the Federal Government, through the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, had traced 22 assets to Ekweremadu.

    The said assets were suspected to have been acquired through illicit funds.

    The properties are at No. 11, Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja;  Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate (Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; Plot 2782 Asokoro Extension, Abuja, and    Houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    Others are located at Plot 1474 Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja;  Congress Court, Abuja; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street) Games Village, Abuja;  Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.

    Traceable assets of Ekweremadu in the United State include  4507, Stella Street, Bellavida Estate Kissime, Florida, USA; 2747 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA.

    The properties abroad in London include Flat 4 Varsity Court, Harmer Street, WIH 4NW, London; and 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London.

    Those in Dubai are Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai; The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai; two flats of Burij Side Boulevard (the signature), Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/115, Dubai;  Apartment No. DFB/12/B 1204, Park Towers, Dubai; Flat 3604, MAG214, Dubai; and Villa No 148, Maeen 1, the Lakes Emirates Hills, Dubai.

  • EFCC: I did not develop high blood pressure – Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Friday faulted the report that he developed high blood pressure while being interrogated by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ).

    Ekweremadu also said that contrary to reports there were no “fresh facts” presented to him.

    The Deputy Senate President who insisted that there was not iota of truth in the “propaganda” to smear his image, urged Nigerians to disregard the reports.

    Ekweremadu who spoke through his media aide said:

    “My attention has been drawn to false reports in some national dailies that the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, developed High Blood Pressure in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC) upon alleged presentation to him of a fresh set of purported “hidden properties” supposedly acquired by him. There is no truth to this propaganda.

    “It would be recalled that operatives of the EFCC and men of the Nigeria Police laid siege to his residence at about 6am on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, requesting him to report at its headquarters at 10am the same Tuesday. However, no letter of invitation was delivered to him until around 9am of that day.

    “Since the siege would not allow him to honour the belated “invitation” the same day, he, as a law-abiding citizen, wrote to the EFCC to request for another date, hence the rescheduled appointment of Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

    “Senator Ekweremadu honoured the 10am appointment on the fixed date and left in the evening of the same day when he was granted bail on self-recognizance with an understanding that he would report at the EFCC office at 10am the next day for a continuation of the interview.

    Read Also: Ekweremadu falls ill during EFCC grilling

    “He reported at the EFCC on Wednesday, August 1, 2018, at 10am as scheduled, but informed them that he was not feeling well, a fact the EFCC doctor confirmed. He was then allowed to leave to see his doctor and it was agreed that a new date would be fixed for continuation of the interview.

    “So, there was no interrogation whatsoever on Wednesday, let alone presentation of so-called additional “facts” that purportedly triggered his blood pressure. Likewise, there were no new “facts” presented to him the previous day, Tuesday, July 31, beside those concocted by the dismissed Chief Judge of Enugu State, Innocent Umezulike and his cohorts in their petition.

    “The Office feels compelled by the mischief and orchestrated media trial to put the “facts” straight on this particular issue.

    “We thank our supporters for their genuine concern and prayers. We equally urge them to remain calm.”

  • Ekweremadu falls ill during EFCC grilling

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu fell ill on Tuesday during interrogation by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it was learnt yesterday.

    He was being grilled over his numerous assets in Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Specifically, Ekweremadu was asked to account for how he came about over 60 assets.

    When it appeared that he was getting weak, the Deputy Senate President was permitted by the EFCC to seek medical attention in the hospital.

    The resumption of the investigation on Ekweremadu’s assets will now be determined by his fitness and the medical report from the hospital, it was learnt.

    A top EFCC source said:  “We were able to highlight additional 38 assets, added to the initial 22 on which he ought to give explanation.

    “The grilling started smoothly until he complained of discomfort and he was unable to continue to answer our questions. His sudden illness might have arise from high blood pressure.

    “Since he needed urgent medical attention, we allowed him to go to the hospital of his choice for treatment.”

    The Federal Government, through the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, had traced 22 assets to Ekweremadu.

    The said assets were suspected to have been acquired through illicit funds.

    The properties are at No. 11, Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja;   Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate (Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; Plot 2782 Asokoro Extension, Abuja, and     Houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    Others are at Plot 1474 Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja;   Congress Court, Abuja; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street (24th Street) Games Village, Abuja;  and Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.

    Traceable assets of Ekweremadu in the United State, include   4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate Kissime, Florida, USA; 2747 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissime, Florida, USA.

    The properties abroad in London include Flat 4 Varsity Court, Harmer Street, WIH 4NW, London; and 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London.

    Those in Dubai are Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai; The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai; 2 Flats of Burij Side Boulevard (the signature), Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/115, Dubai;  Apartment No. DFB/12/B 1204, Park Towers, Dubai; Flat 3604, MAG214, Dubai; and Villa No 148, Maeen 1, The Lakes Emirates Hills, Dubai.