Senate Rules Forgery Allegation: Enugu APC, PDP in battle of wits

In the days leading to the 2015 general elections,the APC had in a bid to woo the electorate who had been endeared to the PDP since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, tried to puncture the political milestones recorded by Ekweremadu’s representation of Enugu-West senatorial district since 2003.





File photo: Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki (middle) and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu (left) at the Federal High Court, Jabi, Abuja over alleged forgery of Senate Rules, yesterday.

The APC wanted to snatch power from the former ECOWAS Speaker, who they said, apart from monopolizing the seat, has been under performing as a senator. Now, the party’s emergence at the centre has given impetus to APC in the state especially the chieftains in Enugu-West, to begin moves to get the senatorial seat.

Leading APC chieftains in Enugu-West include the Director General,Voice of Nigeria,VON,Osita Okechukwu and Minister for Foreign Affairs,Godfrey Onyema. Colour of water passing under the bridge shows that the APC in Enugu is bent on capitalising on the alleged forgery trial of Ekweremadu’s to gain political grounds at the 2019 general elections.

With the alleged forgery trial in place, political trenches are being dug from where major offensives would be launched between now and 2019. Political persecution A peep into what may happen manifested last weekend following the PDP stakeholders meeting at Awgu, Enugu-West senatorial district to show solidarity to Ekweremadu, one of their illustrious sons, over what they tagged,”political persecution by the APC-led Federal Government”.

We ‘ll hold FG responsible if anything happens to Ekweremadu – PDP A communique issued at the end of meeting, which was signed by the Traditional Ruler of Okpanku,Aninri Local Government Area,in Enugu State, Igwe Samuel Ukpabi, read: “Ekweremadu is a senator of the Federal Republic elected with an overwhelming mandate of his people and has remained one of Nigeria’s brightest lawmakers, who enjoys the confidence of his colleagues on account of which he was re-elected the deputy senate president for an unprecedented third time.

“His re-election into that position did not violate any known convention, practice and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The desperation of the cabal in the APC-led Federal Government to get rid of him by all means is hugely counter-productive and hold ramifying consequences for Nigeria’s political stability and unity.

“We would hold the Federal Government squarely responsible should anything untoward happen to Ekweremadu. We therefore condemn the kangaroo trial of the Senate presiding officers and National Assembly bureaucracy in continued contempt for the rule law, revered democratic principles of separation of power, court orders, which constitute a dangerous muscling of the judiciary and ‘abuse of legal process’ (in the words of Justice Kolawole) by the APC-led Federal Government”.

APC demands retraction of letter to international community However, the Vice Chairman, APC, in Enugu State, Chief Anike Nwoga, at the weekend, insisted that Ekweremadu must retract his letter to the international community over his ongoing forgery trial alongside Senate President, Bukola Saraki and two others. Nwoga told his party men that by the letter, Senator Ekweremadu had tarnished the image of Nigeria and by extension, the President.

He spoke at a rally held by members of the APC in Awgu town, Enugu State. Notable among other top APC chieftains at the rally were the Deputy State Chairman, Comrade A.C. Ude, Woman Leader, Lolo Queen Nwankwo, Chief Flavour Eze, who represented the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Special Assistant to the President on Justice Reform, Barrister Julie Ibekaku, Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu and Barrister Sharon Ikeazor.

Addressing the rally, Nwoga warned Senator Ike Ekweremadu to stop insulting President Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, Ekweremadu should retract the “desperate” letter he wrote to the international community because it is 360 degrees at variance with the oath of office he solemnly swore, to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and always act in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well being and prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“By this unwarranted letter, he has desecrated the Constitution, tarnished the image of Nigeria and by extension our dear president. As a senior lawyer, we had expected him to maintain his earlier statement that he has faith in the Almighty God and the Nigerian courts” the APC chieftain said.