On military intervention comment, Deputy Senate President says he was misquoted

He said his statement, which he made last week on the floor of the Senate was taken out of context.

Ekweremadu stated this on Saturday, March 10, 2018, at the Diepreye Alaimieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Onopa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The state governor, Seriake Dickson hosted the Deputy Senate President and the executive members of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region) to a dinner at the Hall.

Ekweremadu maintained that he would never make derogatory statements against the Nigerian military.

Last week, while reacting to Senator Ahmed Ogembe's story of how Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello allegedly organised thugs to disrupt an empowerment program he had put together for his constituents, Ekweremadu said suggested that the military could take over power.

He had said, "So today I am advising the Governor again, that road he is travelling will not lead him to anywhere. Ultimately, these people he is seeing here will be back here and he will leave office.

"If he doesn’t stop, there is no how he will come back in 2019, never, no he will not. God will show him that he is a God of justice and this is a message to all those people who have caused all kinds of problems in Nigeria at different levels.

"The problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over? Let us not joke with our democracy....that is the issue.

"The house of a senator was destroyed in Kaduna State, we are talking about Kwankwaso who was stopped from going to his State where he ruled for eight years. In Kaduna, Shehu Sani cannot organise a meeting and we are about a democracy? The international community needs to know this because they helped us install democracy."

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But Ekweremadu insisted that his comments were misconstrued, adding that statements made by lawmakers in the course of their duty should be situated within the proper context before any form of reaction.

He said his remarks on the floor of the Senate were to caution his colleagues to avoid the mistakes of the past which he said led to the abrupt end of the First Republic.

The deputy senate president noted that parliamentarians had a duty to continue to defend democracy in the country, adding that the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is the parliament.