File Photo of Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu
Senator Ike Ekweremadu has asked the Federal Government to seek foreign help to fight insecurity in the country.
The Senator stated this on Tuesday during plenary in response to a motion by Senator Sani Musa on the activities of bandits and Boko Haram terrorists in Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas of Niger State.
Senator Ekweremadu said any government that fails to protect its citizens has lost its legitimacy, therefore the Federal Government should not be ashamed to seek foreign support.
He called for the shut down of Niger State and the Senate to deal with the problem just as the country was shut down during COVID-19.
Senator Musa who moved the motion said the activities of bandits and terrorists in Shirroro Niger State have reached a dangerous dimension.
He lamented that several atrocities have been unleashed on communities in Niger State leading to the displacement of citizens, the collapse of health, education, and agricultural sectors.
According to him, 42 communities along Shirroro and Munya LGA are now under the control of Boko Haram who have mounted flags in some communities.
The Senator warned that Abuja the Federal Capital city is no longer safe.
He insisted on a total review of the security architecture as proposed by the Senate Adhoc Committee on security.
In a separate briefing also at the National Assembly, Senator Sani Musa who moved a motion on the security crisis in Niger at plenary has shot down the matter of impeaching President Buhari for his failure to put an end to the security crisis rocking the country.
Senator Musa speaking to journalists after plenary warned that this is not the time for a motion on the impeachment of President Buhari.
He says the main focus should be on finding a solution to the insecurity challenges in the country.
He noted that he does not subscribe to amnesty for bandits neither does he support the recruitment of mercenaries to help fight terrorists as is being suggested by some lawmakers in the past.
The Senator added that Nigeria has enough youths in the country to be trained to join security agencies.
The lawmaker representing Enugu West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ike Ekweremadu, says community policing is a “fraud”.
Ekweremadu who was former Deputy Senate President, made this declaration when he featured on a Channels Television’s Hard Copy on Friday.
Reacting to various drives towards community policing, Ekweremadu said the strategy will not work in a federating unit with “so many diversities” like Nigeria.
As far as Ekweremadu is concerned, Nigerians are living in denial, and the security situation is “so bad and the bad news is that it is going to get worse because we are not dealing with it at all”.
He said, “Nigeria lives as a federal state. We accepted before independence that what is suitable for our circumstance is federalism. Since we accepted federalism, we need to look at others practicing federalism”.
“In those other places, the way they deal with security is to decentralize it. The idea of forming a federal system of government is that you have accepted that you have so many diversities.
“To respect those diversities, you have to come into a loose arrangement to do things in a way that is peculiar to the people.
“Community policing is a fraud, it is a total distraction. What they are telling us is that there is a problem between the community and the police itself and they need to address that lack of trust and confidence. That’s what community policing is all about.
“If you have a federal system, you have a complete architecture that can deal with situations in a complex manner.”
He said contrary to what most Nigerians think the police is planning through community policing, the police IG told the senate, “they are going to get volunteers who will be giving police information, find out what their challenges are, why do they not trust the police, to build their confidence”.
“Unfortunately, the federal police we have now is not working. That’s why they (south-west) came together to say let us have a security outfit to deal with our problems,” Ekweremadu said.
“Amotekun is different from what the federal government is saying about community policing. They have personnel who are going to deal with issues unlike what the federal government is proposing.”
Recently, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, again his weight behind the concept of community policing.
The IGP who believes that community policing will aid in tackling crime at the grassroots said in 2019 that President Muhammadu Buhari has also approved the concept.
At the Forum of Northern Traditional Rulers in Kaduna, IGP Adamu was of the opinion that it is a citizen-centred and community policing approach that will lead to more sustainable successes in the management of internal safety and security threats.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu is insisting that former President Goodluck Jonathan indeed signed the 2015 Constitution Amendment Bill.
Ekweremadu who was the Chairman of the Committee on Constitution Review at the time stated this when he featured as a guest on Channels Television’s Hard Copy.
He said in the 7th and 8th Assembly the constitution was amended several times.
According to him, in the 8th Assembly, several issues were discussed, taken through due process and amended, adding however that there were controversies at the time of signing them into law.
Senator Ekweremadu argued that if allowed to sail through at the time, those amendments would have taken the country to a higher level.
Ekweremadu who had in April 2015 written to the president providing insights into the amendments, stressed that the National Assembly at the time believed that Jonathan assented to the amendment.
He, however, stressed that the Presidency did not return the original bill sent by the legislature.
“They sent us a photocopy of the bill, so we wanted to see the original because we had it on good authority that it was assented to.
“And then they now sent us a photocopy of the document and when we insisted on seeing the original documents, the Attorney General of the Federation went to the Supreme Court to stop us from making that request.
“We went to the Supreme Court and the Apex Court asked us to settle the matter out-of-court, so we held several meetings in my office where they promised to assent to (the bill) when it was obvious to them that what they sent to us was a photocopy,” Ekweremadu revealed.
The lawmaker sadly noted that on the last day, Jonathan left office without signing the bill.
While stating that he did not ask President Jonathan the reasons for his action, Senator Ekweremadu said that he used a different approach to the amendment issue in the 8th Assembly
According to him, the lawmakers learned their lessons from the scuffle with the Jonathan administration.
He said that rather than lump the amendments into one document, the legislators devised means to separate the issues within the bill and tendered each as a separate item.
As-far-as Ekweremadu is concerned the new method yielded results as the new President decided to sign those issues which he wanted to sign, leaving out those he was not comfortable with.
The lawmaker was of the opinion that unlike the Jonathan era when “the baby was thrown away with the bathwater”, the efforts of the National Assembly were not in vain.
In a bid to fix Nigeria’s numerous problems especially within the political sphere, many scholars, legal experts, and statesmen over the years have stated that the constitution is the obstacle that has hindered the nation’s growth.
There have been several calls for an amendment of the constitution and attempts have been made at different times to see that the problems inherent in the constitution are fixed.
Major moves at amending the constitution were driven by the 7th and 8th National Assembly, however, these attempts met varying degrees of opposition.
Prominent among the moves made is the constitution (fourth alteration) act (2015) which was truncated by a presidential assent controversy.
The Constitution Amendment Saga of 2015
In the twilight of his administration, President Goodluck Jonathan ‘failed’ to assent to the fourth alteration of the constitution.
Many believed that the 2015 move for alteration was the most ambitious and far-reaching effort at giving Nigerians a befitting constitution some decades after the military era.
About 72 clauses were passed by the National Assembly (NASS) in October 2014 and transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification in line with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution. However, only 62 clauses were approved by at least 24 States Assemblies.
Though the legislators thought the alterations were promising, however, a veto letter by former President Goodluck Jonathan to former Senate President, David Mark, dated 13th April 2015 addressed dashed the amendments.
The President’s move came on the heels of claims that Jonathan had earlier signed the amendments before he was persuaded to do otherwise.
Disappointed at the President’s alleged change of mind, the National Assembly argued that Jonathan had no powers to rescind assent of a bill he already signed.
The Presidency strongly denied claims that Jonathan had signed the amended bill, however, his failure to return the original bill along with the veto letter, as required by law, practice, stirred rumors that left the lawmakers and the presidency seeking redress even unto the Apex Court.
Members of the national leadership of NASU and SSANU at a press conference in Abuja on August 22, 2019. Inset: SSANU’s National Vice President (North), Mr Solomon Alfa.
University workers in the country under the umbrella of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) warn the Federal Government to brace up for an indefinite nationwide strike.
2. I want to assure you that Smart Adeyemi is my political wife; I defeated him in 2015, I defeated him in 2019 and any day any time, he is my political wife.
Senator Dino Melaye says he is not disturbed about being sacked as lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, insists he has defeated his chief opponent, Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
President Muhammadu Buhari calls on Nigerians and Africans to eliminate all forms of slavery and its existence for the modern age.
4. The Embassy has requested a thorough investigation of this attack with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them swiftly to justice in accordance with German law.
The Nigerian Embassy in Germany says those who attacked former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu will be prosecuted under German law.
President Muhammadu Buhari challenges ministers-designate to live up to the tasks ahead of them.
6. If you want to advise somebody and you are truly sincere about it and you are not out for cheap publicity, you do it in whispers.
Academic, social commentator and politician, Dr Junaid Mohammed faults the controversial letters published by former President Olusegun Obasanjo regarding the state of the nation.
7. Let me reiterate here that this administration places much premium on education at all levels, as it is the bedrock of society’s progress, and the way to overcome poverty.
President Buhari believes quality education is very important to the development of every nation, says it is the way people can be lifted out of poverty.
8. It’s not the time for cynicism in the country. It’s not the time for scepticism. If you want to be cynical or sceptical, you have a right for it but it wouldn’t do you good nor will it do the country well.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, says Nigeria needs to be re-positioned rather than being unnecessarily criticised.
The Secretary-General of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha urges Ministers-Designate in President Muhammadu Buhari second term cabinet to remain accountable to the Nigerian citizens.
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, says he didn’t feel the impact of the returning ministers in Buhari’s first term.
The Ndi-Igbo Germany, (NIG), an umbrella body of Igbo people living in Germany, are apologising to the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for the attack on him by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany, over the weekend.
The group said that any embarrassment to a leading light of Ndigbo like Ekweremadu was an embarrassment to the entire Igbo race and Nigeria, vowing to ensure that the law runs its full course.
The body said the event was part of its efforts to encourage foreign investment and industrialisation of Igboland, noting that it “provided a forum for Igbo people in Diaspora to network and to engage German business community with interest in investments and development in Igboland in particular and Nigeria in general”.
In a statement on Monday signed by their leader, Engr. Ogechukwu Nsofor, the group said: “We, Ndi-Igbo Germany (N.I.G) the umbrella/apex union of all Igbo unions operating in the Federal Republic of Germany are shocked and dismayed by the unprovoked, unwarranted and senseless attack leashed on Senator Dr. Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany.
“Ndi-Igbo Germany, wish to offer our unequivocal apology to our special guest of honour, Senator Ike Ekweremadu – former Deputy Senate President – for the unfortunate treatment misdirected at him by members of Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) in Germany during the occasion of our 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Festival and Convention 2019.
“It must be emphasised that Senator Dr. Ike Ekweremadu had nothing personal to gain in attending our cultural day. Rather the Igbo residents here in Germany lost an opportunity to tap into his reservoir of knowledge.
“No words can describe our shock, our consternation, and our sadness at this inexcusable, shameful and senseless attack. We apologise from the depths of our hearts that you had to experience such a horrible thing here in our midst. This is not how we are here. Please do not hold this incident against the 99 percent law abiding Umu-Igbo in Germany.
“Our apologies go to Ohaneze Ndi Igbo and to all well-meaning Igbo-Diasporan groups and associations both at home and abroad for this disgrace.
“We sincerely apologize to the National Assembly and indeed to our entire country for such an unwarranted assault on Senator Dr. Ike Ekweremadu by the IPOB members in Germany.
“Let this event be a rallying call to all Umu Igbo at home and worldwide to always seek unity rather than primitively turning against ourselves in senseless violence which will make neutral and friendly global nations turn away from us.
“Ndi-Igbo Germany (N.I.G) condenm in strongest terms this action by the members of IPOB in Germany against Senator Dr. Ike Ikweremadu. Ndi-Igbo Germany distances herself from any group that encourages violence, directly or indirectly.
“It is not acceptable that an Igbo man or woman would come to the occasion of an ancient Igbo traditional event like Iri-ji and not only cause commotion, but also physically attack an invited guest, a fellow Igbo brother from home and a senior Igbo elder statesman in the person of Senator Dr. Ike Ekweremadu. This is an abomination in Igbo land. And in a foreign land! Is this what we have come to in our united struggle, Ndi Igbo? A house divided against itself cannot stand.
“This single action will cost IPOB in Germany more than 70% of her hitherto sympathisers. What IPOB Germany thought in their inept, diminutive, and megalomaniac mindset as a humiliation of Senator Ekweremadu is in reality a humiliation of the Igbo race in a foreign Land.
Finally, and on a serious note: Ndi-Igbo Germany abhors all kinds of violence. We are committed to working and cooperating with our host country Germany and with her constituted authorities.
“Ndi–Igbo Germany will let the full weight of the law take its course. As we all work together towards the redemption of Ala Igbo, let no one think that he or she has more claim to Igbo nation than the other”.
The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has said that those who attacked former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu will be prosecuted under German law.
In a statement on Monday, the embassy assured Nigerians that those who assaulted the lawmaker will be prosecuted in a bid to curb future attacks of this nature.
“The Embassy of Nigeria, Berlin, Germany wishes to react to viral videos of a vicious physical attack on the immediate past Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, by some members an illegal and terrorist entity named Indigenous Peoples of Biafra ( POB) in Nuremberg on 17th August 2019.
“The attack happened at an event organised by Nigerians in Germany under the auspices of a socio-cultural organisation known as Ndigbo Germany, a registered entity in the Federal Republic of Germany.
“Invitations were extended to Nigerian dignitaries, including the Distinguished Senator and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.
“The Nigerian Ambassador also honoured the invitation but arrived at the venue shortly after the incident.
“The organisers reportedly requested for police protection to ensure public order during the event but were told that the threat level was minimal and did not require the stationing of any personnel at the venue before the incident.
“The Embassy has requested a thorough investigation of this attack with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them swiftly to justice in accordance with German law.
“This would deter future acts of violence against officials of the Nigerian Government on German soil particularly against the backdrop of threats by the proscribed IPOB to carry out similar attacks on more Nigerian dignitaries, especially those from the South-Eastern part of the country,” the statement read.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in its entirety, the attack on former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, by some Nigerians in Germany, at the weekend.
The PDP in a statement on Sunday noted that the former Deputy Senate President was attending the 2nd Igbo Annual Festival in Germany where he was duly scheduled as a speaker and special guest of honour when he was attacked.
The party insisted that the attack on Senator Ekweremadu was uncalled for, unprovoked and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever. The PDP added that such assault on a leader is completely unacceptable and does not portray our nation in a proper light.
The PDP charged the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany as well as the German government to take appropriate decisive action on the matter.
The party also urged the Federal Government, particularly, the National Assembly, to take an urgent comprehensive step to address issues leading to acts of resentment and agitations by Nigerians within and outside the country.
The former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the attack on former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at an event in Germany.
Mr Fayose described the incident as an assault against the Igbos and Nigerians in general.
He said the “Attackers of Ekweremadu, a defender of democracy who symbolises courage & decency, are miscreants who don’t deserve a place in a civilised society”.
The former governor took to his Twitter handle to express his dissatisfaction over the incident which occurred on Saturday.
He added, “It is an assault against the Igbos and Nigerians in general.
“To me, those “Igbo touts” demonstrated that pigs have no value for gold”.
Mr Ekweremadu who is also a serving Senator was attacked at the 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Festival at which he was a speaker/special guest of honour in Nuremberg.
A video of the incident uploaded by IPOB on its Facebook page and by some other persons at the scene have gone viral.
Attackers of Ekweremadu,a defender of democracy who symbolizes courage & decency, are miscrants who don’t deserve a place in a civilized society. It is an assault against the Igbos and Nigerians in general. To me, those “Igbo touts” demonstrated that pigs have no value for gold.
The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has condemned “in its entirety”, the attack on the former deputy senate president, Senator in Germany.
Her statement, late on Saturday, follows the emergence of a viral video of an attack on the 57-year-old who is a serving Senator.
Dabiri-Erewa said the Senator was attending the 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Festival in Nuremberg as a speaker/special guest of honour when he was reportedly beaten up.
“The incident is an embarrassment to the country,” she said.
Stating that reliable sources have said some of those who carried out the attack have been apprehended, Dabiri-Erewa demanded action.
“We call on the German government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that there are consequences for their actions,” she said.
“It is also shamefully pathetic that an event which was nobly put together by the Ndi-Igbo community in Germany, whose members make up the majority of Nigerians living in Germany, to amongst other things provide a forum for the Diasporans and various stakeholders to network and to facilitate a better cooperation between German and Nigerian businesses, ended up in such a disgraceful manner.”
She called on Nigerians to be of good behavior wherever they find themselves because such incidents tarnish the image of the country.
Former Deputy Senate President and serving Senator Ike Ekweramadu has been attacked by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra at an event in Germany.
Senator Ekweremadu was attacked at the 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Festival at which he was a speaker/special guest of honour in Nuremberg when he was attacked.
A video of the incident uploaded by IPOB on its Facebook page and by some other persons at the scene have gone viral.
In the video, a rowdy group of people was seen angrily throwing objects at a man said to be the Senator as he walked away from them.
Amid shouts of ‘bring him out’, the man was later pulled out through the crowd gathered at the entrance of a building before being dragged from the angry crowd into a vehicle and driven away.
The attack has drawn condemnation with the Chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, labelling it an embarrassment to the nation.
She urged Nigerians to be of good behaviour everywhere and called on the German authorities to ensure that there are consequences for those responsible for the attack.
A file photo of the Senate during plenary at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja on December 18, 2018. Photo: [email protected]
Senators are demanding an end to the Zamfara killings as the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has called for the declaration of a State of Emergency.
A lawmaker, Senator Kabiru Marafa, during plenary on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to step up its efforts in solving the crisis in the state.
He presented a motion calling for its intervention, a situation where he said many lives have been lost and properties destroyed.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate and Deputy Senate President has won the seat for Enugu West Senatorial District.
Ekweremadu joined the Senate in 2003, making his victory on Saturday, the fifth time in which the lawmaker will be heading back as a member of the Upper House.
Ekweremadu polled 86,088 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 15,187 votes.
The Returning Officer, Prof Douglas Nwagbo of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) announced the results in Awgu on Sunday.
In reaction to the development, the Deputy Senate president said he was humbled by the result.
I was again returned in a landslide victory by the people of Enugu West. I polled a total of 86,088 votes to beat my closest rival, Mrs. Ibekaku-Nwagwu, of APC, who polled 15,187 votes. I’m not taking this for granted. I indeed feel very humbled and I give all the glory to God. pic.twitter.com/1iHCUahSCx
