APC Reacts
The APC leadership in the South-east, however, dismissed some of the views expressed by Ekweremadu at the reception as “crass and unimaginative propaganda.”
The party in a statement by its spokesman in the zone, Osita Okechukwu, insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari never had any intention to marginalise either the South-east or South-south.
Okechukwu’s statement, entitled “Buhari will not marginalise South-east and South-south,” said, “Whereas we do not begrudge our dear brother, Senator Ekweremadu, for his re-election as Deputy Senate President; however it beats our imagination that the Distinguish Senator relied on gossip-terrorists in reaching the conclusion that the South-east and South-south will be marginalised. It is miles far away from the truth.
“For the avoidance of doubt, as of Saturday 13th June, 2015, and to date, when this unimaginative propaganda was riled out to hapless and anxious crowd by Senator Ekweremadu, President Muhammadu Buhari has not named the Secretary to Government of the Federation, ministers, advisers, ambassadors, boards, etc. On which plank was this propaganda predicated?
“We are, therefore, at a loss why the Distinguished Senator should choose this auspicious moment to play spoiler game, by wittingly or unwittingly throwing spanner on our wheel to clinch the coveted office of Secretary to Government of the Federation. Pundits may grab his unintended headline that we have been settled.
“May we ask, does the office of Deputy Senate President, in real political terms, actually make South-east and South-south part and parcel of Buhari’s government? We do not think so.
“Or in other words, we challenge Senator Ekwerema- du to enumerate what he achieved for South-east and South-south with the office under President Goodluck Jonathan, his party man? Why didn’t we get additional state under their watch?
“To us, without being immodest, one may amass wealth with the office; but Deputy Senate President in real-politics is more symbolic than substantial…
“Accordingly, for the records, we appeal that the South-east and South-south, especially we of the APC stock, should not be denied any position due to us because of our brother’s unintended headline that we have been settled.”
The APC spokesman said contrary to Ekweremadu’s submission, Ndigbo will continue to reject PDP, “for impunity will no longer triumph. With President Buhari’s programme to revamp Enugu coal, build refineries, fix our roads, improve electricity, among other projects, we see the South-east and South-south providing the critical supplement to President Buhari’s vote bank in 2019.”
In any case, the emergence of Ekweremadu as the deputy senate president is politically significant for the South-east. It can also be a sign of better things to come.