Ekweremadu opposes intimidation of Ndigbo

Abuja - The Ndigbo will not be intimidated in
any part of Nigeria, Deputy Senate President,
Ike Ekweremadu, has said while reacting to
the threat issued to Ndigbo by the Oba of
Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.
“I was alarmed when I read threats allegedly
issued to Ndigbo by the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan
Akiolu, over their political choices and voting
patterns in the last election, which saw the
PDP doing well with Ndigbo and their
preferred candidates clinching some National
Assembly seats in the March 28 election,”
Ekweremadu said.
“I expect his Majesty as a former member of
the police top echelon to understand that the
International Criminal Court (ICC) is ever ready
to address the consequences of such
statements. Leaders should promote unity, not
fragmentation that has been a clog in the
wheel of our progress.”
Ekweremadu said the Yoruba and indeed
Nigerians of all ethnic groups are cordially
invited to vie for any political positions of their choice in any part of Igbo land.
change in next polls
“We must encourage national unity by
reenacting the good old days when Altine
Umoru and Bashorun Balogun were appointed
the Mayors of Enugu and Port Harcourt,
respectively in the major cities of the defunct
Eastern Region by the NCNC government in
the First Republic,” he said.
He commended Governor Babatunde Fashola
for appointing Igbo into his cabinet and
commended other governors to emulate him.
Ekweremadu said the Constitution upholds the
right of every Nigerian to reside in any part of
the country.
“Let me emphasise, however, that Ndigbo will
not be intimidated in any part of Nigeria, not
the least Lagos State where our people have
contributed immensely to its development and
economy.”
He called on Ndigbo in Lagos to demonstrate
a strong objection to the hate comments and
threats by voting en masse for the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the weekend
elections.