By Chidi Papa
My attention was drawn recently to a video recording in which Senator Ike Ekweremadu recounted his ordeal with former governor Sullivan Chime on the floor of the Senate and ascribed thoughts to situations in which some people try to play God. According to him, ex-governor Chime used the state apparatus against him, banning traditional rulers from having any association with him prior to the 2015 general elections, because Chime wanted to replace him at the senate. Sadly, what Ekweremadu failed to tell us was how he brought EFCC under former President Jonathan to go after local government chairmen and other top state government officials who were supporting Chime for the Senate at that time.
Ekweremadu joined forces with Chime to frustrate former military administrator of Imo State, Rtd. Coomodore A.E Ogugua in an electoral case between Anayo Onwuegbu vs Sullivan Chime and turned around to make Onwuegbu an ally. Also, Ekweremadu, under ex-governor Chimaroke, used thugs and forced Ogugua out of the political scene.
Ekweremadu further joined forces with the then governor of Enugu State to oust Nwodo from his office as the national chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Ekweremadu failed to share on the floor of the Senate, how he betrayed members of ‘Save Awgu Forum Enugu (SAFE),’ led by Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe, who he invited to join him in the fight against Chime’s senatorial ambition in 2015. He told the SAFE to nominate candidates for Awgu North and South constituencies but turned around and jettisoned the agreement at the time he got what he wanted, using presidential might because of his relationship with the then first lady Dame Patience Jonathan.
Ekweremadu was a member of the defunct Ebeano family that dealt mercilessly with some politicians in the opposition in Enugu State, at a time when Jim Nwobodo was a victim, despite the role he played in bringing Ebeano to government in 1999. Ekweremadu also failed to share on the floor of the Senate how he used his thug, the current national youth leader of the PDP, Udo Okoye and attacked APC members at Agbogugu, during the November 4, 2017 council election in Enugu State. Why is Ekweremadu being economical with the truth?
In view of the aforementioned, didn’t Ekweremadu think of playing God before now? Today, just because the pendulum is swinging against him, he is calling on the international community to come for rescue. Weeping up sentiments will never help Ekweremadu. Calling on Sen. Shehu Sani and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso whom he joined forces with former President Jonathan and victimize in the past is vain. Ekweremadu, carry your cross!
Ekweremadu is an embarrassment to democracy; he didn’t call on the international community while he gloried in impunity or beg the military to take over during Jonathan’s time. If I were Ekweremadu, at this time, I would behave like Chime, Jim Nwobodo, Ekwesilieze Nwodo and Ogugua who accepted in good faith what happened to them as part of life. None of them called on the international community to make mockery of our democracy or begged the military to take over. They fought gallantly and lost as men.
Ekweremadu must learn to accept the things he cannot change, seeing as the opposition you found yourself in now is on the receiving end. Just get used to it. You have been in the ruling party for over 15 years, oppressing and marginalising but, just barely two years and few months into the opposition’s time, all you do is ranting and making a mountain out of a mole hill. Ekweremadu, your time is up and, if you don’t know that, we will re-call you.
