I DID NOT SAY BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION WORSENED INSURGENCY – EKWEREMADU

•••Says insurgency, terrorism are beyond politics
DEPUTY Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu explained yesterday that contrary to report, he never said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has worsened Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
He however warned that challenges like terrorism and insurgency, which have wasted lives and property of innocent Nigerians and many of our loved ones are beyond politics and should therefore not be trivalised on the alter of narrow political interest.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu and titled, “The Challenge of Insurgency is beyond Partisanship,” he said, “The attention of the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to the attempt to misrepresent and sensationalise an innocuous call by Senator Ike Ekweremadu to Nigerians to pray for and rally round the Federal Government to win the war against insurgency.

SGF: NEW DEAL FOR SOUTH-EAST OVER EKWEREMADU

If South-East leaders and elders can convince the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu to resign voluntarily, the geopolitical zone will get the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Saturday Tribune has learnt.
This is said to be the new deal being proposed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to get Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of the very strategic position he landed in the National Assembly leadership.
APC leaders, particularly those against the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate president, have remained implacable over the election that saw Ekweremadu defeating Ali Ndume for the number two job in the Senate.
Since his emergence alongside Saraki in what is now known as the “hybrid” leadership, there has been no let on the part of those who wanted him out, with the Enugu senator coming under severe attacks in the media.

EKWEREMADU: BOKO HARAM ATTACKS WORSE UNDER BUHARI

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday said the Boko Haram insurgency had worsened under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ekweremadu said the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration had almost rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in the North-East.
The deputy senate president also expressed the fear the insurgents could also attack Abuja and the southern part of the country soon.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, he chose not to answer questions on his alleged involvement in the forgery of senate rules but said he had been worried about the renewed attacks by Boko Haram.

INSURGENCY: EKWEREMADU ASKS MEDIA TO REJECT BOKO HARAM PROPAGANDA

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has urged the Nigerian media to downplay activities of the Boko Haram sect because the insurgents have succeeded in creating fear in the minds of the citizens through media reports.
Ekweremadu made the appeal on Wednesday night while delivering the maiden lecture organised by the Senate Press Corps in Abuja.
He described terrorism as a mind game with the primary purpose of instilling fear in the minds of the people by carrying out acts of destruction of human lives and property to give a negative impression.
To achieve this, he said the insurgents employed the use of propaganda, through the media, to misinform the public. “That is why even when a gas cylinder explodes in any part of the country, the insurgents claim responsibility for it, all in their desperate bid to assert themselves.