A factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, has berated the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government over the trial of the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules.
Makarfi described the prosecution as inexcusable in a democracy, explaining that the ruling party had no constitutional or moral grounds to be displeased with Ekweremadu’s emergence as deputy president of the Senate.
A statement by the spokesman of the Makarfi-led national caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, cautioned the federal government against interfering with the affairs of the National Assembly, which he said is a separate arm of government created by the constitution.
“The APC as a party, and through its chieftains, including President Muhammadu Buhari before his election, had variously and robustly defended the constitutionality and imperativeness of bi-partisan legislative leadership during the defection of the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, to their fold while in opposition without relinquishing his position.
“We, therefore, invite the APC-led federal government to tell the world why bi-partisan leadership in the legislature was good in the instances of Tambuwal as well as the Benue and Plateau assemblies, but an abomination in the case of Senator Ekweremadu.
“We consider APC’s stance on Ekweremadu and his continued persecution on this account as the height of duplicity, intolerance, unwarranted and inexcusable executive excesses in a democracy.
“More so, unlike APC’s rancorous opposition in parliament in the recent past, the PDP lawmakers, including Senator Ekweremadu, have provided a very responsible opposition, supporting the government and overlooking its serial fumbles. Ekweremadu is not APC’s stumbling block,” the statement said.
