FG Persecuting NASS, Opposition Leaders In Nigeria, Says Ekweremadu
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on Monday accused the All Progressives Congress, (APC), led federal government of persecuting opposition leaders and the leadership of National Assembly for political reasons ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Ekweremadu who in Akure, the Ondo state on his way to Ekiti state for Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), governorship campaign Monday said , the executive arm of the government was using threat and smear campaign to intimidate the opposition leaders ahead of the election.
Flanked by the former Senate President, David Mark, the Deputy Senate President who was received by the National vice chairman Southwest, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, the state Chairman, Clement Faboyede, the candidate of the party in 2016 governorship election in the state, Eyitayo Jegede ,SAN, and other party leaders in the state, said the PDP would win the next general election starting from the election in Ekiti and Osun state.
Ekweremadu who described the current persecutions of the party’s leaders as temporary, noted that “the darkest part of the night is when it is almost dawn. So, we are almost at the day light. Let everybody exercise patience.”
His words: “The leaders including all of us are facing persecutions, smear campaign and threat. I want to tell you that this is our darkest hour in our country as they say; the darkest part of the night is when it is almost dawn. So, we are almost at the day light.
“Let everybody exercise patience. We want to appeal to everybody that we are democratic and we are going to win in democratic form.
“We should eschew bitterness; we should eschew any kind of violence so that our winning will be in PDP way which is peaceful. So, the success of PDP next year will start in Ekiti, by July we are going to ensure we win in Ekiti.
“We are going to thank the Southwest because they are leading to this success, after that of Ekiti is Osun State and after Osun by 2019, we will be winning all the way. We thank you for standing by us.”
Commenting on the defection of former governor of the State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko from PDP to Labour Party (LP), Ekweremadu said Mimiko could have stayed back in the PDP and help salvage the country but left out of threat.
According to him, Mimiko action could be as a result of threat from high quarters.
Ekweremadu said, “We understand that one of our leaders, who we gave an opportunity to be a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we gave opportunity to be the governor of this state and made him chairman of PDP governor’s forum, today out of threat he left us.
“Those who are unfaithful will never last long. I want to assure you that. Like a smoke he has left us and now we can see clearly. We can see those who are gentlemen and those we can depend on to salvage our country. I want to assure you those of you that you never regret your staying back in the party.”
Earlier, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and former Ogun state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel addressed the party leaders, assuring them of the return of the party to the government both at the national and the southwest geopolitical zone.
The state chairman of the party, Clement Faboyede, assured the leaders that the party would win without the effort of Mimiko.
Faboyede said the party is more formidable and repositioned to win the next year’s general elections in the state.
