Ekweremadu says he has done nothing wrong to warrant the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agencies harassing him.

Fred Itua, Abuja

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said several attempts have been made to sack him, but has assured his constituents and supporters that he will emerge from his travails.

He said he has absolute faith in God as he had done nothing wrong to “warrant the continued harassment by the security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

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Ekweremadu made the remarks when the Archbishop of Enugu Province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, led a delegation of clergies of Enugu Diocese of the Church, on a solidarity visit to his Enugu residence, on Sunday evening.

He said: “When people say they’re not sure there is God, I say, ‘come, let me tell you my story; when I finish my story, you will know whether there is God or not’. My story is one of those that establish that there is God. So, what you’re seeing now will also pass, because there is no battle that God cannot fight for me.

“There’ve been several attempts to remove me as the deputy senate president, but, I am not worried because it is God who gives power, and it is only Him who can take it.”

Ekweremadu recalled that he had never been in a position to manage public finances or award contracts all through his political career.

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“I’ve been a town union president, chairman of a local government, chief of staff and secretary to the state government, senator since 2003, vice chairmen and chairman of several committees, deputy senate president since 2007, and I’ve been deputy speaker of the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) Parliament before I became the Speaker. Today, I am a member of the Global Parliament for Tolerance and Peace. In all of these, I’ve never managed government resources or finances, or been in a position to award or receive contracts.

“When I was local government chairman, I allowed the secretary of the Council to run the affairs when it comes to awarding contracts. When I was secretary to the Enugu State government, I refused to be part of the tenders board because of things like these.

“When I became deputy president of the senate in 2007, there was something they used to call the Body of Principal Officers that awarded contracts. I told the senate president that we had to stop it and let the National Assembly Management deal with contracts, and that if it was to continue, I was not going to part of it. He saw my point and agreed with me.”

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He boasted that nobody can mention his name in all the oil and election probes carried out in country and said the money he is paid for his services has always been enough for him.

He challenged anyone who has any proof that he stole government money, to come out and prove it.

“So, when Justice Innocent Umezulike and his cohorts wrote a petition to the EFCC, that I was given money to go and develop the South East zone and I used it to buy 32 properties, I laughed at them, because nobody gives you money to go and develop your house, let alone developing a zone. Nobody has ever given me money to do any contract.

“So, my hands are clean. But, if the EFCC wants me to come and answer that, I am prepared to answer any call from anybody, as a responsible citizen. Even at that, I will continue to advocate justice, rule of law, and equity.”

Ekweremadu said he had no personal quarrel with anyone and wondered why the desperation to annihilate him politically.

“In all my positions on the state of the nation, I’ve always meant the best for the country. I’ve never, for once, personally attacked anybody, including the President.

“I’ve been worried about the security situation and the injustice that characterises government programmes. Those issues I’ve always addressed and tried to be as objective as possible.

“So, why the government, its agencies or the party that is in power feels that I’m a threat is what I don’t understand. For as long as you are in government, you are supposed to be democratic.

“I don’t have one personal problem with anybody, but, because of my position on some of these things, people have tried to kill me. About 2015, there was an assassination attempt on my life and, up till now, nobody has investigated the matter,” he added.