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Tag: ekweremadu

  • Restructuring: Desperate search for oil in northern Nigeria is unnecessary – Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said the ‘desperate search’ for oil in the Lake Chad, Sokoto and River Benue basins was prompted by the fear of restructuring.

    Ekweremadu said this while presenting the third edition of the Adada Lecture Series, organised by the Association of Nsukka Professors, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

    His paper was titled ‘Restructuring and the Nigerian youth.’

    According to him, oil revenue will soon lose its relevance as electric cars take over from petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles.

    Ekweremadu said, contrary to fears held by some sections of the country that they would lose out if the country was restructured, the entire nation would benefit from restructuring.

    He said, “Some are afraid of survival under fiscal federalism. They feel they are better off with free monies from Abuja, which could actually be a pittance compared to what they could generate if they begin to access the bountiful wealth buried in their soils.

    “I have also noticed a desperate search for oil in the Lake Chad, Sokoto, and Benue River basins in recent times, obviously spurred by the campaign for restructuring.

    “But it is an unfounded fear. The days of oil are numbered. It is the least strategic wealth we have now. Many countries have found oil in large quantities, including those that used to patronise us for oil. Importantly, many nations are already phasing out petrol and diesel engines.

    “In July 2017, the United Kingdom announced plans to stop the production of petrol- and gas-powered cars from 2040. France has also unveiled plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040.

    “Norway has strong policy actions to ensure that zero fossil fuel cars are sold in the country by 2025. With the second highest concentration of electric cars in Europe, Netherlands is already targeting an emission-free environment by 2030, which automatically rules out petrol- and diesel-powered cars.

    “In fact, Netherlands wants at least 200,000 electric cars on her roads by the year 2020, which is only two years from now.”

    Ekweremadu said the North had more to gain by embracing fiscal federalism, and relinquishing its ‘supposed advantages’ in the current structure.

  • Ekweremadu seeks 6-year single term for president, governors

    The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has advocated six-year single tenure for president and governors .

    He said this will “to stop the problem caused by the quest for second term.”

    He noted that “single presidency tenure of six years that rotates among the six geo-political regions will promote unity and loyalty to the nation.”

    He stressed the need to restructure the county to enable regions to harness their resources outside oil, “especially given that the black gold was undergoing shocks in the global oil market.

    “The market for crude oil is reducing by the day as countries like Britain and France now have laws that will ban the use of diesel and petrol cars by 2030.

    He further called on youths in the country to close ranks and support restructuring as it would create employment and guarantee better future.

    The lawmaker also explained that restructuring would not divide the country as feared by some people but that it would rather, strengthen and re-position the nation.

    He identified ethnic and religious sentiment, ignorance and fear of the unknown as some of the challenges facing restructuring.

  • Ekweremadu congratulates new PDP NWC; says no time for honeymoon

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Sunday tasked the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) to get down to work immediately as there is no honeymoon for them.

    Ekweremadu also commended the PDP faithful for a credible and hitch-free national convention, noting that the party had lived up to its name.

    He stated this in a congratulatory message to the newly elected PDP NWC.

    He said: “I congratulate Prince Uche Secondus-led NWC on their election in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and indeed democratic. The PDP has set an example, which other political parties will have to emulate to deepen the nation’s democracy.

    “Importantly, I believe that 2019 is a comeback year for the PDP because distraught Nigerians look up to our great party. However, there is a lot of work to be done and party faithful expect members of the new NWC to hit the ground running because they have no luxury of a honeymoon.

    “We expect them to start the process of galvanising party faithful to reposition the PDP and mobilise Nigerians towards building a Nigeria of our dreams”.
    Ekweremadu urged party members and Nigerians to support the PDP NWC to deliver on its mandate

     

     

  • Ekweremadu hails Atiku’s return to PDP

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, has described the return of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a welcomed development.

    Ekeremadu, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, on Sunday, was reacting to the defection of the former vice president from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP.

    He said that the move had rekindled hope not only for the party, but the nation’s democracy.

    “I urge all former PDP faithful who left for various reasons as well as other progressive-minded Nigerians to emulate Alhaji Atiku.

    ”They should reunite under the umbrella to salvage the nation because I see a new and better Nigeria coming in 2019.

    “I see a country where corruption will be eradicated, a nation that will be a pride to Africa and admiration of the international community.

    ”I see a nation where no man will be oppressed, intimidated, persecuted or sidelined on account of ethnicity, religion or political persuasion.

    ”No amount of desperation will stop the will of God for Nigeria in 2019,” he said.

  • Anambra Chruch gun attack: Saraki, Dogara,Ekweremadu condole with victims

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed deep sadness over the massacre that occurred at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Anambra State on Sunday.

    In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki stated that the killing of worshippers represents the purest kind of evil, and the security services must not stop until the perpetrators are brought to justice.

    “Today, my heart goes out to Nigeria’s Christian community, Governor Willy Obiano, the people of Anambra State, and the families of the victims and the survivors of this terrible massacre,” the Senate President said, “This brutal act of attacking innocent and unsuspecting worshippers represents the purest kind of evil.

    “Our security forces must not stop until everyone involved in the orchestration and execution of today’s massacre in St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Anambra are brought to book by the strong arm of justice.

    “The Senate will continue to offer any form of necessary assistance in this endeavor, because today, all of us, as Nigerians have been attacked by this senseless act committed by evil people”, Saraki stated.

    He further urged security agencies in the country to step their intelligence gathering activities so as to prevent activities of criminals and also unravel any crime committed against Nigerians by undesirable elements in the society.

    Ekweremadu: Anambra Church Attack sacrilegious

    In the same vein, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has described as beastly and sacrilegious the Sunday massacre of worshippers at St. Philip’s Catholic Church Ozubulu, Anambra State.

    Ekweremadu, who also described the day as a black Sunday, not only for Anambra State, but also the entire nation, called on the security agencies to fish out the killers and bring them to justice.

    He said: “I received with a deep grief the news of the blood-curdling killing at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu today. It is indeed a black Sunday and the act is most sacrilegious and condemnable.

    “My heartfelt condolences go to the Government and good people of Anambra, especially the bereaved families and the Church. I also pray God to grant the deceased a peaceful repose and the wounded a quick recovery.

    “However, this dastardly act brings to the fore, once again, the need to reengineer our security system, especially our policing system to arrest the rising wave of violent crimes in the country”.

    He said in the meantime, the least the nation owes the deceased and the casualties was to work with the security agencies “to bring apprehend the culprits and ensure that justice is done to both the living and the dead”.

    Dogara: Anambra Massacre is abominable, barbaric

    Similarly, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has described Sunday’s attack on worshippers in a Catholic church in Anambra state as abominable, barbaric, inhuman, and the height of wickedness.

    Scores of worshippers were murdered by gunmen inside a Catholic church in Ozubulu in Anambra State.

    The shooting is said to have occurred during church service while worshipers were still inside the church building on Sunday morning.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, the Speaker said his heart is broken by the sad news of the massacre of innocent worshippers in cold blood by people he described as ” sons of perdition whose souls will rot in hell.”

    “Have we lost our humanity? Where is the place of sanctity of life and sacredness of worship places in our society? What offence did the worshippers commit to warrant their massacre in cold blood by wicked souls and heartless men?”

    The Speaker lamented that increasing insecurity is reducing Nigeria to the state of nature as life is increasingly becoming cheap.

    He again reiterated his call for the overhaul of Nigeria’s policing architecture that will lead to reform of the Police Force, equip them with modern and sophisticated gadgets so as to discharge their duties of protecting lives and property effectively and ensure social order in the society.

    Dogara further called on security agencies to fish out perpetrators of the heinous crime and bring them to justice speedily.

    He extended his heartfelt condolences to families of the victims, people and government of Anambra state, Nigeria and the Catholic Church over the sad and unfortunate incident.

  • Don’t allow excuses turn you to House-of-do-nothing, Tinubu tells lawmakers

    National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has urged members of the National Assembly not to allow excuses hinder their performance.

    Tinubu made the call when Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, led senate and house of representatives committees on the review of 1999 constitution on a visit at his residence in Lagos on Saturday.

    He urged them to come up with legislation that would help in promoting the country’s diversity for prosperity.

    “I urged you to continue to work for the unity of the nation for our diversity to be meaningful. I promise to be available to render any assistance by providing suggestions and ideas that can foster a greater Nigeria.

    “Do not allow excuses turn you to the house-of-do-nothing. The country is not in a panic mode because of the way you have given effect to the executive constitutional requests,” he said.

    He added that some items in the exclusive federal list were too loaded.

    Speaking earlier, Ekweremadu said the visit was to honour Tinubu as a prominent leader and a former senator.

    The deputy president of the senate described him as a man of great expertise in the art of governance and law-making.

    He said the lawmakers would always be ready to learn from his wealth of knowledge.

  • Melaye’s recall: Kogi Govt should pay workers, not spend N12m on advertorials to reply me – Ekweremadu

    Melaye’s recall: Kogi Govt should pay workers, not spend N12m on advertorials to reply me – Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday, lambastes Kogi State Government for its alleged roles in the ongoing process to recall the lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, stressing that the state should have paid some workers rather than spend N12m on advertorials to attack the National Assembly .

    Ekweremadu, while raising a point of order at the plenary on Tuesday, referred the lawmakers to a three-page advertorial by Muhammed, in which the commissioner criticised his last week submissions at the Senate on Melaye’s recall.

    “I expect the Attorney-General, instead of displaying his ignorance, to simply call me and I will educate him on the position of the law,”
    he said.

    The Deputy Senate President condemned the Kogi State Government for using a three-page advertorial in newspapers to reply him. He said the money could have been used to pay part of the salaries owed workers in the state.

    “Meanwhile, what I said was supposed to be privileged; that is what the law says. I would have ordinarily ignored him but I will like to point out his final paragraph so that I will put everything in the right perspective,” he said.

    In the paragraph, Muhammed had stated that “the Senate has no role whatsoever in the recall exercise than to receive the certificate of under the hand of the Chairman of INEC, stating that the provisions of Section 69 of the Constitution have been complied with.” He also cited Section 68.

    Ekweremadu further said in part, “I stand by what I said the other day and I still like to take him to Section 68(2) of the Constitution to show the role of the Senate, if he is saying we don’t have any role. He surreptitiously refused to cite sub-section 2 or, probably out of ignorance, he did not put Section 68(2).

    “I don’t know how he came to the conclusion that we do not have any role to play. I stand by my position that when INEC is through with any recall process, they must write the Senate President who will read it to us and we must be satisfied that the provisions of Section 69 in reference to recall have been fully complied with.

    “So, this morning, Kogi state government took an advertorial to respond to me and I understand that every page costs about N700,000. For this alone, they spent about N2 million and I understand that it is an about five other papers so we are looking at about N12 million spent to responding to my comment.“I pity the people of Kogi State who hired his kind of attorney-general. It is unfortunate that they are paying a public servant and he is unable to do a simple work of looking at the Constitution.

    “I pity the people of Kogi State who hired his kind of attorney-general. It is unfortunate that they are paying a public servant and he is unable to do a simple work of looking at the Constitution.

    “Let me also emphasise that this Section 68(2) is not part of the amendments we have made since 1999; this has been the original provision of the Constitution; we did not invent it and it has nothing to do with Dino. We inherited it since 1999.

    “So, for him not to know about it; I don’t know where he went to law school, anyway. If he had been properly educated, he should have been conversant with the basic provisions of the Constitution. I also don’t know his age at the bar but, apparently, I know that I am his senior at the bar and I expect him to show some respect to his senior. That is what we were taught at the law school.”

    Saraki, in his remarks, expressed concern over “the calibre of people put in very serious positions in government.” He stated that the Constitution was clear on the recall process.

    “What is even more disturbing and irresponsible is how they have spent over N10m on adverts,” he added.

    The Senate President accused the state government of culpability in the move to recall Melaye due to the interest it had showed in the
    process.

    He said, “It is an issue that I don’t see the involvement of government in it. This even shows that it is the government that truly behind this entire process; when a government can take an advert on an issue like this.

    “I think, sincerely, there is a necessary need for some of the people who are appointed or elected into positions to show some level of responsibility. This is a simple matter that is stated in the Constitution. It is very unfortunate for the people of Kogi State.”

  • Osun West: INEC has revived our hope in electoral system – Ekweremadu

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the winner of the Osun West Senatorial District bye-election, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on his victory, describing the poll as “a glimmer of hope for the nation’s electoral system.”

    Reacting to the outcome of the election, Ekweremadu said, it was not only victory for the PDP, but also more importantly, a victory for the nation’s democracy.

    He said: “I congratulate the Senator-elect, Ademola Adeleke, and our party faithful in Osun State in particular on this symbolic victory.

    “For our party, it shows that working together as one big family, we can always show strength, achieve great results, and surmount every obstacle in rebuilding the fortunes of our party and restoring good governance to the country.

    “It also appears the Independent National Electoral Commission is beginning to get it right in reviving hope and confidence of the people in the potency and sanctity of the ballot box. We will tread the path of cautious optimism, watching and believing that sanity is beginning to return to the electoral system, once again”.

    Ekweremadu commended the people of Osun West for their vigilance and peaceful conducts during the election, saying they not only voted, but also ensured that their votes counted in a peaceful atmosphere.

    He expressed confidence that the Senator-elect would provide robust and quality representation as his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, had done in the past.

  • Size of government in Nigeria too large, must be trimmed – Ekweremadu

    …calls for decentralisation and establishment of state police

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has said for government (especially at the federal level) to work and satisfy the citizenry, its size must be trimmed.

    Ekweremadu also called for the decentralisation of the Police and establishment of State Police.

    The Deputy Senate President said this in a chat with newsmen on Monday.

    His words: “We believe that the Federal Governemnt as presently constituted is too big and we need to adjust it. In a situation where you have in the concurrent list only about 16 items, most of the other things are in the exclusive list.

    “It doesn’t make sense: so we need to find a way of trimming the Federal Government to the benefit of the component states so that some of these issues don’t become federal issues and that is the idea of federalism.

    “We are looking at things like arbitration, agriculture, environment and such issues. Some of these things should go to the concurrent list and even Police”.

    On State Police, he said: “We cannot decentralise the police now because some people are still opposed to it but i think it is beginning to make sense that you cannot be able to deal with our security situation in Nigeria except we change our security architecture.

    “There is no place in this world where a federal system has a unitary role of policing which we have now and that is why we will continue to get it wrong in solving our security problems.

    “It is not going to work until we change the architecture of our policing: a federal state as big as Nigeria must have to adopt a decentralised police.

    “This means that in Sokoto they will create their kind of Police, in Kano they will create their own: the kind of Police that will work in Kano may not necessarily work in Enugu”.

    Ekweremadu noted that for fear of abuse by state governments, the central government can create a commission to monitor their (police) activities, like the NJC monitors the judiciary.

  • Court grants N500,000 bail to whistleblower on Ekweremadu

    A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Monday granted bail in the sum of N500,000 to 50-year-old businessman, Ahmed Echoda, who allegedly gave false information to the Police about Sen. Ike Ekweremadu’s guest house.

    The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, also ordered the defendant‎ to provide one surety who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the case until July 20 for hearing.

    The defendant was arraigned on May 30 on a two-count charge, bordering on criminal conspiracy and giving false information to mislead a public servant, offences he denied committing.

    The judge had adjourned ruling on the defendant’s bail application after the defence counsel, Peters Ugwuoke, applied for his bai.

    The prosecutor, Malik Taiwo, had told the court that ‎the defendant and one Maiwada Adamu, now at large, had given false information to the Inspector General of Police, Special Tactical Squad, Force Headquarters, Abuja on May 26.

    He added that the defendant said House No. 10, Gamges St., Maitama, Abuja, was used for criminal activities, including storage of arms and ammunition .
    The guest house belongs to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
    ‎
    The prosecutor said that after the police carried out diligence execution of the search warrant, no incriminating items were found.

    He said by so doing, the defendant misled the police, adding that the offences contravened Sections 97 and 140 of the Penal Code.