Military Takeover: Senator Ekweremadu Was Right, He’s A Patriotic Citizen – VATLAD

Despite the backlashes which trailed the report of ‘possible military coup’ credited to Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, an anti corruption group, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) on Wednesday said that the deputy Senate president deserved commendation for being courageous and patriotic enough to warn against threats to the country’s nascent democracy.

Although the deputy Senate President has since debunked the publications, claiming he as quoted out of context, the group said he was patriotic to have mentioned seemingly possibility of a coup in the country.

BigPen Online recalls that Ekweremadu had maintained that his comments on the floor of the Senate, though “unambiguously in defence of democracy,” were either being twisted or misconstrued by some persons.

According to him, parliamentarians had a duty to continue to defend democracy in the country, making him to clearly caution fellow politicians against the mistakes of the past, which inevitably led to the abrupt end of the previous republics.

VATLAD in a statement by its National President, Comrade (Engr) Igbini Odafe Emmanuel in Warri, Delta state, said that the deputy Senate President in his speech did not in anyway call for a military coup d’etat or takeover in Nigeria as wrongly reported by some sections of the media, having carefully listened to his contribution on the floor of the Senate.

The group noted that contrary to impression, Ekweremadu had strongly condemned the unconstitutional and undemocratic behaviours of some privileged few Nigerians in political offices whose actions if not stopped could provoke national outcry and unrest that may instigate Nigerian Armed Forces to takeover as has been the sad cases in the past.

According to the group, “having considered the circumstance which informed this comment by him and the real intention behind it, we call on Nigerians to commend Senator Ekweremadu for his courageous and patriotic Advice and warning to some few Nigerians in politics whose desperation for political power threatens the Peace, Unity and survival of our Constitutional and Representative Democracy that millions of Nigerians sacrificed to bring to bear in 1999.

“His speech did not in anyway call for a military coup d’etat or takeover in Nigeria as wrongly reported by some sections of the media, it said.

“On the contrary, Senator Ekweremadu’s comment was strong condemnation of unconstitutional and undemocratic behaviours of some privileged few Nigerians in political offices whose actions if not stopped could provoke national outcry and unrest that may instigate Nigerian Armed Forces to takeover as has been the sad cases in the past.

Furthermore, the group asserted, “We cannot pretend that all is well with the way a few privileged Nigerians are abusing their privileged political powers to oppress and deprive others of their Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

VATLAD, however called on Nigerians to rise up now to call on such power-drunk politicians to retrace their wrong steps and embrace an all inclusive government for the overriding Peace, Unity and Democratic Progress of Nigeria.

For instance, the group noted that the recent sad behaviour of and abuse of power by some State Governors are clear obstacles to the growing clamour for establishment of State Police.

It held, “establishment of State Police under the leadership of such power-drunk Governors would be the worst retrogressive decision by Nigerians. It will be worse than dreaded military dictatorships ever seen anywhere in the world.

“We wish to commend our patriotic Nigerian Armed Forces for their loyalty to Democratic Government of Nigeria since May 29, 1999. We urge them to continue to be so loyal.

“Finally, we wish to remind Nigerians that section 1(2) of 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, prohibits any form of governance or take over of governance of Nigeria except through Democratic process”, the statement added.

Written by Julius Era-Olabowu

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