Senator Adeola, Igbo group differ on Ekweremadu

CHIKA NWABUEZE and ISAAC OJO, Awka

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has been called upon not to play partisan politics with the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in recent times following his assertion that insurgency has worsened under President MuhammaduBuhari’s six weeks administration.

In a swift reaction to Senator Ekweremadu’s comparative narrative on the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks as reported in some newspapers, Senator Solomon Adeola representing Lagos West senatorial district on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, said the deputy senate president’s intervention is from a partisan mindset which has been the hallmark of the out gone PDP’s administration.

“ It is very worrisome that Senator Ekweremadu who has been a presiding officer of the senate under the PDP administration since the inception of Boko Haram about 6 years ago will expect the insurgency that his party and PDP administration could not resolved to be eradicated by Buhari in six weeks. I believe his comparison of recent attacks under Buhari with that of out gone PDP administration is informed by partisan considerations of exonerating the PDP from the mess left behind by 16 years of PDP misrule,” senator Adeola said.

The senator representing the largest senatorial district in Nigeria said it is regrettable that senator Ekweremadu could come to the conclusion that Boko Haram insurgency has worsen in the last few weeks in comparison to thousands of civilians and military lives lost, destruction of communities as well as the national agony and ordeal of the yet to be resolved missing Chibok girls under the PDP administration.

He added that what should be paramount on the minds of all Nigerians now is how to end the insurgency permanently which is not going to be an overnight assignment.

Adeola said he is sure that President Buhari and the security agencies are working out strategies to curtail the focus of Boko Haram attacks on “soft targets” in recent times, adding that such attacks indicates Boko Haram’s weakening in the battle field where they hitherto have territorial control.

The Lagos West senator made this known in a press statement signed by his media adviser, Chief KayodeOdunaro.

Meanwhile the Ndigbo Youths’ Organization, a Pan-Igbo youth organization and the umbrella body of all Igbo youths, both at home and in the diaspora, has condemned in clear terms the attack on the Ekweremadu.

The condemnation was contained in a press release signed by the Secretary General of the group, Comrade Patrick Afubera made available to journalists in Awka. In the release the group noted that the attack and call for the resignation of the distinguished senator as the deputy senate president is not only irresponsible but an assault and insult on the entire Igbo people.

“He said the fact that Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected deputy senate president in a senate that has majority of APC senators, speaks volumes of his leadership qualities and impeccable strength of character as a person, “the youth group noted.

The Ndigbo Youths consequently warned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase not to allow himself be drawn into the politics of the national assembly leadership, as any attempt to ridicule their leader would be resisted by the vibrant youths who are getting restive over the ugly development .

He pointed out that the people of Igbo race are not visitors or passers-by in the Nigeria project as Ndigbo have made more sacrifice than any other tribe or region towards the sustenance of a united Nigeria, and warned that it would not sit down idly and watch the South East be relegated to the back stage in the Nigeria project.

They condemned the recent transfer of Boko Haram suspects to prisons in the South East, noting that the move was a clear attempt to move Boko Haram insurgency to the South East as there is no logical reason to transfer them to South East which is outside the jurisdiction where the offence was committed.

“We therefore reject, in very strong terms, this attempt to turn the South East into a war zone, and we call on the Federal Government to reverse that decision and move the suspects back to their original detention centres or at the least, out of South East.”

Ndigbo Youths however wish President MuhammaduBuhari a successful term in office for the welfare and progress of Nigeria, restating their commitment to fighting for the interest of the Igbo race.