Connect with us

Politics

What Nigerian Army needs –Ekweremadu

Published

on

What Nigerian Army needs –Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said that his statement on the floor of the Senate on insecurity in the country has been taken out of context to mean that he was calling for a military coup.

He denied calling for military intervention in the affairs of Nigeria, adding that what the Nigerian Military needs currently is encouragement “because this is not the best of times for them.”

According to a statement by the Senate president’s Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu stated this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when Governor Seriake Dickson hosted him and other African lawmakers attending the 74th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) Executive Committee to a dinner.

He had last Wednesday on the floor of the Senate while contributing on a report that Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello allegedly sponsored thugs to disrupt an empowerment programme a senator organised for his constituents said “The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over? Let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue.”

The military and other Nigerians had condemned the statement, but Ekweremadu at the event in Yenagoa 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.

“Of course, some people took it out of context and said I was calling for a military coup. I never called for a military coup. I never said the military was planning any coup. Even the military’s statement admitted that my statement was only cautionary and that we were sincere. But they went as far as saying that the international community should ignore my words of caution.

READ ALSO: Senate finally reacts to Shehu Sani’s revelation on earnings

“I hold the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces in high regard. They have defended our democracy, our people and have acquitted themselves creditably. If they need anything now, it is encouragement because this is not the best of times for them. But we do hope that when parliamentarians make statements, they (the military) should be able to know exactly what they said before reacting so that we don’t overheat the system,” he said.

 

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

 

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now