The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has reiterated his commitment to the unity of the country, urging the citizenry to place national unity above their primordial, ethnic and clannish interests.
Ekwurumadu made the comment at the weekend while being conferred with the Independent Newspaper “Outstanding National Legislator of the Year Award”, 2017.
The news medium said the award was predicated on Ekweremadu’s “pragmatism, commitment, and courage exhibited in the nation’s Red Chamber as Deputy President of the Senate.”
The newspaper noted that the lawmaker had brought his wealth of experience at all levels of government to bear in his service to the nation, especially in the successful alterations to Nigeria’s constitution and reform of her electoral system.
Ekweremadu issued a statement after the event through his media aide, Uche Anichukwu.
“Even more endearing is that in an environment of ‘do-or-die politics’, you represent the hope that politics of common good, principle and without bitterness is possible in the country. Your brand of politics is one driven by national interest.
“There is no doubt that your continued clamour for true federalism, as the surest route to a united and prosperous Nigeria, is underlined by national interest”, the Independent Newspaper said.
Receiving the award, which was presented to him by the former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, on behalf of Independent Newspaper, Ekweremadu said that the nation was in need of “people, who are independent in their thinking and their vision, for such independence is what will drive a united Nigeria”.
Assuring of the Senate’s commitment to national unity and security as exemplified by the recent security summit aimed at addressing the mounting insecurity and senseless killings in the country, Ekweremadu, however, stressed that national security and unity were products of citizens’ words and actions.
“When we talk about unity and security, we should know that what we say or do affects security positively or negatively because they all feed into the system. What we do or say will make us secure or expose us to insecurity.
“Nigeria will become a great country when there is unity and justice; when we treat ourselves as brothers and sisters; when we see one another as one; and when we do justice to all irrespective of tribe or religion,” he added.
Ekweremadu dedicated the award to God, fellow Senators, and his constituents, whom he said, gave him the opportunity to do the work for which he was honoured.