At least for now at the National Assembly, the fear of unknown looms large on a daily basis. What any politician of Senate’s standing fears is politicking. Like tsunami, anything could happen these days depending on the pendulum of interest. As it stands, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu should not be sleeping with his two eyes closed, no thanks to unpredicted development for being recalcitrant to advice that he should cross-carpet before it gets late.
As dust surrounding abrupt removal of former Senate leader, Ali Ndume is yet to settle, one should be curious, particularly those interested in political hermeneutics in the upper chamber of the National Assembly as to what happens next. Unlike erstwhile Senate leader, Ali Ndume who might have not gotten inkling of ‘coup de ta’ against him, Ike Ekweremadu at least was told openly in the red chambers that he might be the next principal officer that would experience removal.
It would amount to naivety to underrate the statement coming from Ali Ndume, who was the number three in the Senate considering the fact, that his former position earned him privileged information. One recalls that Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC), Zamfara Central Senatorial district, an arrowhead of Senate APC unity forum that fought Saraki almost to a standstill bluntly told Ekweremadu to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to keep his seat as number two man in the Senate. Since these statements were made, tongues have been left wagging. Political pundits have been analyzing even as rumours of defecting were rife, until DSP himself addressed the press that he was not going anywhere.
Not minding the risk inherent in turning down the call to defect to the APC, DSP in recent times has not hid his disdain for the APC.
Understandably, he could not have been what he is today without his party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He came to the Senate on PDP’s platform in 2003. Became Deputy Senate President to David Mark in 2007 and got elected for the same position in 2011 under the same David Mark as Senate President before emerging on the same platform for the third time on June 29th 2015 as Deputy Senate President to Dr. Bukola Saraki of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
What continue to agitate the minds of APC Senators as it were, despite his supportive stance to Saraki Senate presidency were his party affiliations. For sure, it is considered a misnomer and an insult to the sensibilities of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seeing him as DSP of the 8th Assembly of the party that came to power through dint of hard work.
DSP might be weighing pros and cons of defecting as he remains the highest political office holder in the PDP at least for now. Though his party, PDP was being decimated further, considering spate of defection of Senators who were elected on the platform, DAILY POST learnt that DSP would not be deterred by cross-carpet pressures in the Senate where he presides as number two man.
What seems to be putting DSP, Ike Ekweremadu on hot seat too is performance of APC led Senate where it is viewed in public quarters and by political analysts that almost all executive requests were being short down for one reason or the other. This could only happen in connivance with the opposition PDP and at the end, it was the APC that bears the brunt.
A Senator who spoke to DAILY POST under anonymity explained that issues of rejecting executive communication were portraying the APC led Senate in bad light now. He also noted that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who frequents Code of Conduct Tribunal these days was also not helping issues as the fate of the upper chamber would be left to be decided by DSP, who is of the PDP.
Political re-alignments in Enugu, Ekweremadu’s home state is a reality that he has to contend with. This is because politicians of political parties are not ideologically based in Nigeria as the most populous black nation, hence, defections are based on ‘fair weather’ consideration and if Ekweremadu continues to stick to his guns, would he able to navigate through the storm?
It seems rug was being pulled off his feet back home as the likes of Senator Jim Nwobodo, and former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have vowed that they would reposition the state with the reality. They insisted that the anti-corruption battle of APC was in the best interest of the nation, adding that that what killed their former party – PDP was roguery and impunity by some elements that drove them away from the party. With this done deal, Ekweremadu may be set to face challenges on two fronts that may shape his political career any time soon.
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