I Didn't Call For Military Take Over Says Ike Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has denied calling for military intervention in the affairs of Nigeria. Ekweremadu said this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when Governor Seriake Dickson hosted him and other African lawmakers attending the 74th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) Executive Committee to a dinner, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu. He maintained that his comments on the floor of the Senate, though “unambiguously in defence of democracy,” were either being twisted or misconstrued by some persons. While reinstating his respect for the Nigerian Armed Forces, Ekweremadu stated that comments made by lawmakers in the course of their duty should be situated within the proper context before any form of reaction. He added that parliamentarians had a duty to continue to defend democracy in the country, making him to clearly caution fellow politicians against the mistakes of the past, which inevitably led to the abrupt end of the previous republics. Ekweremadu said, “Of course, some people took it out of context and said I was calling for a military coup. I never called for a military coup. I never said the military was planning any coup. Even the military’s statement admitted that my statement was only cautionary and that we were sincere. But they went as far as saying that the international community should ignore my words of caution.” The Deputy Senate President added, “I hold the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces in high regard. They have defended our democracy, our people and have acquitted themselves creditably. If they need anything now, it is encouragement because this is not the best of times for them. But we do hope that when parliamentarians make statements, they (the military) should be able to know exactly what they said before reacting so that we don’t overheat the system.”