Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja – The Deputy
President of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has
asked President Mohammadu Buhari and the
All Progressives Congress (APC), to face
delivery of good governance to Nigerians,
rather than allowing its representatives in
government to continue bickering over sharing
of positions , particularly in the National
Assembly.
This is just as Coalition of Civil Society
Organizations described calls for
Ekweremadu’s resignation as Deputy
President of the Senate as misplaced and
mischievous.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja when the
Coalition of Election Observers, paid him a
courtesy call in his office, Ekweremadu urged
APC to form policies and programmes that
would benefit majority of Nigerian irrespective
of political affiliation.
According to Ekweremadu, this is very
necessary at this time, since after
campaigns and elections , come governance.
The Deputy President of Senate who was
apparently responding to the statement
credited to President Mohammadu Buhari,
where he was quoted to have said that the
election of Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate
President was unacceptable, he said the
sanctity of ballot box must be respected,
citing the case of President Goodluck
Jonathan, who conceded defeat in the 2015
general election to the opposition party.
He further advised the political leaders across
the African continent to borrow a leaf from
former President Jonathan, pointing out that
he has saved Nigeria from crisis by refusing
to be pressured towards challenging the
sanctity of the ballot box.
Ekweremadu disclosed that the 8th National
Assembly will further amend the Electoral Act
to make the 2019 elections more credible and
acceptable than that of 2015, adding that the
alterations made on the 2010 Act has yielded
important results.
“We are about to form legislative agenda for
the 8th Senate. This will include electoral
reforms”, he said, observing that African
continent is proud of Nigeria because of the
reforms in the government, in areas of
education, health and corruption.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation,
Nwambu Gabriel, said the emergence of
Ekweremadu as the Deputy President of the
Senate was the best thing to have happened
to Nigeria’s democracy, adding that this is in
recognition of his contributions to the
advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
This, he said was in line with the global best
practices and in compliance with the
constitution of Nigeria, as contained in
section 52(1), even as he dismissed the calls
by some aggrieved persons that he should
resign his position as the Deputy Senate
President. Nwambu also urged the Senate to
make laws that will encourage the
diversification of the resources accruing to
the country, even as he lamented the harsh
economic conditions in the country resulting
from the refusal of the governors to pay
workers salaries.
His words: “we note the uproar that has
attended the election of principal officers of
the senate, particularly the call for your
resignation. We aver that such uproar and
calls are not only misplaced but are patently
mischievous.
“We, in the Coalition of Civil Society
Organizations/Nigerian Election Observers ,
wish to state emphatically that your election
contrary to the position of those opposed to
it, is not only in the true traditions of the
senate but is equally in line with the
provisions of our constitution , particularly
section 52(1).
“We urge you to ignore such calls, which in
the main spring from malice and mischief and
focus on the task of legislating on behalf of
Nigerian people particularly your constituents
who earnestly expect that your stay in the
senate, will translate to an improvement in
their living conditions. We solidly stand by
you.”
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