When Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu at plenary on Wednesday, 3rd May, 2017 rose through Order 43 of Senate rules on revealing that he had uncovered a plot by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to implicate and detain him, it became an issue of concern for any true believer of democracy particularly in his political standing.
According to him, the grand plans were the handiwork of “cabals in the Presidency”, who were hell bent in bringing him down politically through phoney accusations by planting currencies of various denominations and arms such that those things would serve as ‘prima facie evidence’ against him.
Looking at this issue, ‘stricto senso’, and without holding brief for the so-called cabals in the Presidency or the EFCC, one is forced to believe that the DSP tends not only to be living in an atmosphere of paranoid, but it stirs tripodal issues of loyalty, belief and patriotism.
Though the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied of such ill motive against him, while asked the lawmaker to “lose no sleep if he has no skeleton in his cup board” , what continue to agitate one’s mind too, is why the plot at this time of the day?
As the ‘plot alarm’ since that day did not actually fly by whipping sentiment and elicit public sympathy that much, Nigerians do know that it’s been a busy season where some lawmakers engaged in folktales of what happens to them back home in their Senatorial constituencies.
The other time, Senator Dino Melaye alleged assassination attempt on him in his home town, Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi state. While the issue was still fresh, Police authority prompted by whistle blowers, swooped on Senator Danjuma Goje’s house in Maitama where it recovered hard currencies – $19,000, N18 million, and 450,000 Saudi Riyalds.
Senator Danjuma Goje who is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation later told Nigerians in the red Chambers that the 2017 national budget which his Committee was working on before the raid would not be ready. He went ahead to blame Nigeria Police for removing files with budget documents while asking Nigerians to hold the Police responsible for not passing the budget before the end of April as earlier promised.
Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has been Deputy Senate President since 2010 and this time as an opposition, duty calls that he should have unchallenged patriotism to government policies.
Though, his complaint drew the ire of Peoples Democratic Party Senators who spoke through Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe penultimate week alleging harassment and intimidation of opposition by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), it is also a point of justice to look the other way that the anti-graft agency which the complaint revolves was also doing much. They may have their imperfections, but it should be understood that there is no place anywhere in the world where fighting corruption is a tea party affair.
The bizarre recoveries of loots in trillions by the anti-corruption agency and other similar government establishments should unite us as citizens irrespective of party affiliations in lending supports at all costs, while Nigerians should appreciate the previous administration of Peoples Democratic Party for setting up the EFCC, otherwise, it would have been doom for the nation all the way.
So one should be very clear in the belief system, loyalty and patriotism in terms of governance. It’s such things that nurtures and fertilises the growth of democracy which is the yearning of both opposition and the ruling party.
Thus, could an institution (EFCC) with a mandate within the precincts of law which was enacted to give life to their existence plot such thing against Ekweremadu with all the security and political apparatus around him. Much as we continue to look and think critically about this, it seems worrisome, therefore, that distractions as the nation approaches 2019 is now at the centre stage.
More so, the handful of support coming from PDP Senators and Igbo sociocultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo is not weighty enough to maroon Nigerians into believing that the EFCC which have other serious issues have time for frivolity. I can bet!
Further more, by tradition of the Senate, DSP is the Chairman of constitutional reform Committee who has been working on constitutional amendment. It was a non issue that he is an opposition, but his position of responsibility cum his training as a lawyer demand an expeditious work on constitutional amendment.
The constitution having failed amendment on areas that serves the interest of Nigerians in the 7th Senate under his chairmanship would have been treated with despatch this time, but such may not happen before expiration of the 8th session. The reason is that Nigerians have to face something else as it were.
His firm belief in a functional democracy and anti-corruption fight which he often say each time he presides over plenary in the absence of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki also stands on one leg in the context of this analysis. Reasons were that it is not only enough to put legal instrument together, but must be supported for it to survive in the interest of the country.
Daily Point