19082019 - Nigeria to spend N2.53bn on 43 ministers

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019—41
HOMAGE—President Muhammadu Buhari (left), in a handshake with Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta,
Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, <strong>Nigeria</strong>n Communications Commission (NCC), when the EVC paid a
Sallah homage <strong>to</strong> the President in his Daura, Katsina, home at the just concluded Sallah recently.
IPOB's attack on Ekweremadu,
warning <strong>to</strong> Igbo leaders —KANU
Continues from Page 5
promise <strong>to</strong> investigate and
bring <strong>to</strong> book everyone who
was part of that dastardly
assault on a serving
national leader.
“On my part, I promise <strong>to</strong>
lead the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs which I
currently chair, and,
indeed, other members of
the House, who have since
yesterday continued <strong>to</strong> call
in <strong>to</strong> express their
indignation against the act,
<strong>to</strong> move a motion on the
floor of the House and <strong>to</strong>
call for broader
investigations on the
matter, with a view <strong>to</strong>
decisively dealing with all
those involved and seeking
protection for the politicallyexposed
persons on foreign
trips and assignments in
foreign jurisdictions.
“While conceding that it
is the right of any group or
individual <strong>to</strong> protest against
a perceived wrong done <strong>to</strong>
them in every democratic
set-up like ours, it goes
without saying that there is
a limit <strong>to</strong> the extent any
protest can go.
“It ceases <strong>to</strong> be a protest,
for instance, when those
involved in such a protest
begin <strong>to</strong> make attempts on
life or endanger the rights
of others <strong>to</strong> peaceful and
lawful assembly as we saw
in the case at Nuremberg,
Germany. As law-abiding
people, we must have a
recourse <strong>to</strong> civility and
proper ways of doing
things at all times.”
It’s unnecessary
— PDP
Similarly, Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
condemned the attack on
Ekweremadu, saying it was
unnecessary.
PDP in a statement signed
by its National Publicity
Secretary, Kola
Ologbondiyan, noted that
the attack on the lawmaker
was uncalled for,
unprovoked and could not
be justified under any
guise whatsoever, adding
that the development
portrayed the nation in bad
light.
The statement read: “The
PDP charges the <strong>Nigeria</strong>n
Ambassador <strong>to</strong> Germany as
well as the German
government <strong>to</strong> take
appropriate decisive action
on the matter.”
The party also urged the
Federal Government,
particularly the National
Assembly <strong>to</strong> take urgent,
comprehensive step <strong>to</strong>
address issues leading <strong>to</strong>
acts of resentment and
agitations by <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns
within and outside the
country in the last four
years.
Not in Igbo
character—S-East
APC youths
Reacting in a similar
manner, the South East
APC Young Progressives
Forum said the attack on
Ekweremadu by IPOB was
not in the character of the
Igbo.
Leader of the group,
Comrade Otimkpu
Paschal, said it was against
Igbo’s core values and
respect for elders for IPOB
members <strong>to</strong> treat
Ekweremadu in a
disdainful manner.
He said: “This is barbaric
and unacceptable. The
incident was an
embarrassment <strong>to</strong> the Igbo
nation and the country at
large.
“It is also shamefully
pathetic that an event,
which was nobly put
<strong>to</strong>gether by the Igbo
community, whose
members make up the
majority of <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns living
in Germany, ended up in
such a disgraceful manner.
Obviously, this is not how
<strong>to</strong> repay a man who has
contributed his quota <strong>to</strong>
nation-building.
“Irrespective of political
affiliation, Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Elweremadu is an
outstanding leader in
Enugu and <strong>Nigeria</strong> and an
unpretentious Igbo leader.
“We may not agree with
him politically because of
differences in parties, but
this is the highest insult on
Igbo leaders. The last time,
it was former Governor
Rochas Okorocha at
Chetham’s House,
London. Today, it is Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ike Ekweremadu.
“It is most worrisome and
even inconceivable that the
attackers chose a great
occasion where our people
were celebrating and
showcasing our rich
cultural heritage (the New
Yam Festival) <strong>to</strong> exhibit
such unbecoming and
condemnable conduct in
the name of agitation.”
Lawan, Omo-
Agege react
Also, the Senate
president, Ahmad Lawan
and his deputy, Ovie Omo-
Agege, condemned the
attack, describing it as not
only a dastardly exportation
of irrationality, but also an
aggressive international
affront against the image of
Igbo and <strong>Nigeria</strong>.
In Separate statements,
yesterday, in Abuja, both
Lawan and Omo-Agege
called on the German
authorities and <strong>Nigeria</strong>
Embassy in Germany <strong>to</strong>
bring the masterminds <strong>to</strong>
book.
Lawan in a statement by
his Special Adviser, Media,
Ola Awoniyi said: “It is
incredibly absurd for
anybody <strong>to</strong> blame the
distinguished sena<strong>to</strong>r for
the violent criminal
activities in his home base,
the purported reason cited
by the mob for the
bewildering attack.
“Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu,
like all his distinguished
colleagues in the Ninth
Assembly of the Senate, is
concerned about the
insecurity and other
challenges in that area and
other parts of <strong>Nigeria</strong>.
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu has
also been in the forefront of
the patriotic efforts <strong>to</strong> find
lasting solutions <strong>to</strong> the
challenges.
“The barbaric attack on
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu at a
forum <strong>to</strong> which he was
invited <strong>to</strong> contribute <strong>to</strong>
charting a course for the
progress and happiness of
Ndigbo debases our values
as civilised people. It is
most reprehensible and
should be condemned by
all right-thinking
<strong>Nigeria</strong>ns.”
The President of the
Senate, who urged the
German authorities <strong>to</strong>
identify those involved in
the despicable act so the law
could take its course, called
on <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns <strong>to</strong> always
reflect deeply and broadly
before embarking on a
course of action and
advised the youth <strong>to</strong>
ventilate whatever
grievances they had along
lines prescribed by the law
and recommended by
reason and democratic
ethos.
On his part, Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Omo- Agege in a statement
by his Special, Media and
Publicity, Yomi Odunuga,
expressed shock over the
undeserved assault and
called on law enforcement
agencies in Germany <strong>to</strong>
investigate and bring <strong>to</strong>
book all those involved in
the vicious attack.
He said: “Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ekweremadu honoured the
invitation of patriotic Igbo
in Germany who wanted
him <strong>to</strong> deliver a keynote
address at the event
organized <strong>to</strong> commemorate
the New Yam Festival but
some aggressively
discourteous elements
hijacked the effort <strong>to</strong>
perpetrate a disgraceful
assault that seeks <strong>to</strong>
deepen the portrayal of
members of the
Independent People of
Biafra, IPOB, as enemies of
democratic norms and
values in which the
majority must always have
its way after the minority
must have had its due say
in all matters.
“What they did is not only
a violent assault against the
good image of the Igbo
race across the world but an
aggressive attack against
the traditional norms of a
people known <strong>to</strong> be
hardworking and
respectful of meaningful
contributions by leaders
such as Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ekweremadu.
“Such disappointing
physical abuse also grossly
disregards Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ekweremadu’s democratic
antecedents and his longstanding
commitment <strong>to</strong>
the cause of his people.
But, as he has said out of
the usual largeness of his
forgiving heart, these
people know not what they
do.
“Such criminal attack,
along with other anti-social
attempt <strong>to</strong> accuse, condemn
and lynch anyone remains
utterly condemnable and
illegal, notwithstanding
whether it takes place on
<strong>Nigeria</strong>n or foreign soil as
it is the easiest invitation <strong>to</strong>
anomie.”
It’s uncivilised
— Orji Kalu
In his reaction, Senate
Chief Whip and former
Abia State governor,
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Orji Uzor Kalu,
condemned in very
strong terms the attack on
Ekweremadu.
Kalu in a statement
yesterday, described the
action of the mob as
uncivilized, unacceptable
and barbaric, and urged
Ndigbo <strong>to</strong> respect leaders
at all levels.
He also called on the
<strong>Nigeria</strong>n Embassy in
Germany <strong>to</strong> urgently bring
<strong>to</strong> book the masterminds of
the ugly incident <strong>to</strong> serve
as deterrent <strong>to</strong> others.
He said: “After watching
a viral video of the physical
attack on former Deputy
Senate President, Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ike Ekweramadu, I was not
only disappointed but
irritated and disturbed with
the action of some members
of IPOB.
“The assault on the
sena<strong>to</strong>r is a slap on Igbo
leaders regardless of age,
party affiliation and
religion. The perpetra<strong>to</strong>rs of
the uncivilized act must
face the wrath of the law.
“Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweramadu is
not only one of the Igbo
leaders but also a
prominent <strong>Nigeria</strong>n and as
such should be accorded
due respect by all and
sundry at home and
abroad.
“For the South East <strong>to</strong>
move forward, the people
of the region must embrace
dialogue as a way of
resolving pertinent issues
and eschew violence.’’
It’s sacrilegious
— Abaribe
Reacting in a similar
manner, Senate Minority
Leader, Sena<strong>to</strong>r Enyinnaya
Abaribe, Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, Abia South,
described the attack on
Ekweremadu as
reprehensible and utterly
sacrilegious.
In a statement yesterday in
Abuja, Abaribe said the attack
smacks off of utter ignorance
of the prevailing situation at
home with regards <strong>to</strong> what the
leaders were doing in the
circumstance.
Abaribe said he and the
entire minority caucus in the
Senate were appalled by the
very nauseating attack on
Ekweremadu.
“We condemn it. It is a
brazen show of ingratitude <strong>to</strong>
a man who has been in the
forefront of the struggle for all
that is good for the Igbo race.”
A b a r i b e
described Ekweremadu as
one who had given his all in
standing for the Igbo race,
particularly when “we stuck
out our neck <strong>to</strong> arrange and
stand for surety for the IPOB
leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He said: “Obviously, this is
not how <strong>to</strong> repay a man, an
outstanding leader of men, an
unpretentious Igbo leader
who has given his all, even
going as far as deploying his
means <strong>to</strong> arrange for the bail
of Nnamdi Kanu, not
minding the repercussions <strong>to</strong>
his illustrious political career.
“It is unfortunate. The
perpetra<strong>to</strong>rs of the attack
should know that as Igbo, we
respect elders and reverence
our leaders. The unwaranted
attack is not the character of
the Igbo. This is un-Igbo. It is
most worrisome and even
inconceivable that the
attackers will choose an
auspicious occasion where
our people are celebrating
and showcasing our rich
culture <strong>to</strong> exhibit such
unbecoming and
condemnable conduct in the
name of agitation.
“No, that was not
agitation, no right thinking
human will identify with
such behaviour. Yes,
<strong>Nigeria</strong> is going through a
horrendous phase, which is
a fault line that her leaders,
particularly we the Igbo
leaders are engaging
others <strong>to</strong> find a lasting
solution <strong>to</strong>.
“Resorting <strong>to</strong> mob
mentality and venting the
spleen on our leaders
rather create a vacuum
that will leave our people
helpless and confused in
the circumstance.”
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Abaribe noted
that there were rules of
engagement in the country
when things go awry,
adding that was the way
"we should go at all
times, until we reach an
acceptable national
consensus in which
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu will
always play a major role.
He appealed <strong>to</strong>
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu
not <strong>to</strong> be discouraged in
any way, but rather be
s<strong>to</strong>ic and take it in its
stride as the price often
paid in leadership.