The South East chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has responded to a statement released by the Deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, saying that the reason he decided to view for the position was to avoid marginalisation.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu, the South East APC said it was outraged by “the crass and unimaginative propaganda dished out by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on why he re-contested for his former office.
Mr. Okechukwu quoted Mr. Ekweremadu as saying that “it was when we saw that it appears that the South East and South South were being marginalized in the scheme of things, we decided to take a shot so that our people will be part and parcel of government, so that every Nigerian will have a sense of belonging.”
The spokesperson said, “Whereas, we do not begrudge our dear brother Senator Ekweremadu for his re-election as Deputy Senate President; however it beats our imagination that the Distinguish Senator relied on gossip-terrorists in reaching the conclusion that the South East and South South will be marginalized. It is miles far away from the truth.”
According to the statement it was impossible for Ekweremadu to say the South East will be marginalised when Buhari has not named his cabinet.
Besides, Okechukwu argued that Ekweremadu may have caused the South East the opportunity to produce the secretary to the government of the federation.
“For the avoidance of doubt, as of Saturday 13th June, 2015, and to date, when this unimaginative propaganda was riled out to hapless and anxious crowd by Senator Ekweremadu; President Muhammadu Buhari has not named the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Ministers, Advisers, Ambassadors, Boards etc. On which plank was this propaganda predicated?
“We are therefore at a loss, why the Distinguished Senator should choose this auspicious moment to play spoiler game, by wittingly or unwittingly throwing spanner on our wheel to clinch the coveted office of Secretary to Government of the Federation. Pundits may grab his unintended headline that we have been settled.
“May we ask, does the office of Deputy Senate President, in real political terms actually make South East and South South part and parcel of Buhari’s government? We do not think so.
“Or in other words we challenge Senator Ekweremadu to enumerate what he achieved for South East and South South with the office under President Goodluck Jonathan, his party man? Why didn’t we get additional state under their watch?
“To us, without being immodest, one may amass wealth with the office; but Deputy Senate President in real-politics is more symbolic than substantial.Otherwise why the 2014 Constitutional Conference after our brother chaired the National Assembly Constitutional Amendment twice?”
The South East APC appealed that the zone as well as the South South zone “should not be denied any position due to us because of our brother’s unintended headline that we have been settled.”
Stating further, it said, “Contrary to Senator Ekweremadu’s submission, Ndigbo will not vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again, for impunity will no longer triumph. With President Buhari’s program to revamp Enugu Coal, build refineries, fix our roads, improve electricity among other projects, we see the South East and South South providing the critical supplement to President Buhari’s vote bank in 2019.
“In sum, we re-affirm our implicit confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will not marginalize or penalize neither the South East nor the South South; for Mr President has repeatedly maintained that he belongs to everybody and that the past is prologue.”
