Ekweremadu Vows to Remain in PDP
The Deputy Senate President (DSP), Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday in Enugu denied speculations in some quarters that he was nursing the ambition to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that he would remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the party having lost the March 28 presidential election and now a minority in the National Assembly.
Addressing stakeholders from his Enugu West senatorial district at his home in Enugu, Ekweremadu said by the emerging scenario of PDP being an opposition party, the party was only coming home to roost, as far as South-east was concerned.
The DSP who was re-elected into the senate for the fourth time recently, boasted that the Southeast remains the home of PDP as was demonstrated during the election in which the party cleared majority of National Assembly positions in the zone.
“I have also heard a lot of permutations on the possible mass defection of Ndigbo to the APC in the coming dispensation. While I will not hold brief for all the PDP stalwarts of South-east origin, especially because our constitution provides for freedom of association, I can assure you that on PDP we stand.
“At least, count Senator Ike Ekweremadu out of any defection to the opposition. PDP leaders in the South-east are committed to further repositioning and strengthening of the party. We may not have the presidency, but we are strong in the states and remain the party to beat. On PDP we stand,” he maintained.
While congratulating President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat in a heroic manner and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for his hard won victory, the Deputy Senate President expressed gratitude to the people of Enugu West, Enugu State and South- east in general for coming out enmass to vote for PDP in the presidential and National Assembly elections and urged them to repeat the feat on April 11, during the governorship and state assembly elections.
He stated that instead of regretting voting for President Jonathan, Ndigbo should be happy and regards the turn of events as a defining moment for them in history, adding that they took a principled position and that they should take full responsibility of the political choice.
Ekweremadu stated that the 1999 constitution makes it impossible for any state or group of states to suffer any discrimination in the allocation of resources and opportunities, even as he counseled the president-elect, Gen Buhari to carry everybody along in his new regime and not to discriminate against anybody on the basis of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.