The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Wednesday in Abuja took his critics to cleaners for demanding his resignation basically because of their primordial sentiments against him and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Making this statement when Coalition of Election Observers paid a solidarity visit to him in his office, he maintained that he ascended to the position of Deputy Senate President through votes.
Speaking further, Ekweremadu urged those proponents of resignation to see beyond parties differences, noting that the period of politics had passed and that the era of governance had taken place.
He added that what was important now was to see that the legislature cooperates with the Executive within the ambit of its responsibility to move the nation forward.
In his address, the Convener of the group, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel described Ekweremadu’s emergence in an All Progressives Congress dominated Upper Legislative Chamber as a proof of his worthy contributions to the advancement of democracy and the deep respect accorded him in this wise by his colleagues.
He enjoined him to ignore calls and all forms of persuasion from any quarter targeted at forcing him out of office as Deputy Senate President, which he described as misplaced and mischievous in all intents.
According to him, the elections that brought him into being as Deputy Senate President followed due process; thus it was in line with global best practices and he should see it as legitimate under any circumstance.
Speaking on insecurity in the nation, Dr. Nwambu disclosed that as a coalition representing more than 100 local and international Civil Society Organisations, they saw the denigration of Nigeria Military, which was accused of human rights abuse by Amnesty International as uncalled for.
He stressed that the coalition had carried out its own independent investigations, but the Nigeria Military was not found culpable since they were carrying out their operations according to the rules of the game.
Speaking further, the convener said, their judgement was further legitimized by the International Red Cross assertion recently that Military operations in Nigeria with regards to fight against insurgents had been fair.
“In a joint investigation with the Defence Headquarters with various reputable International Organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross granted unfettered access to detention facilities, it is on record that the investigative committee and the organizations absolved the Nigerian military of wrong doing”, he said.
He, therefore, called for total disregard of Amnesty International Report, which he said was defocusing the military from the good works they were doing.
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