Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu
| credits: File copy

A group, Democracy in Action, has warned the All Progressives Congress against removing the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Dr. Donald Abraham, on Thursday, insisted that Ekweremadu’s election followed due process and vowed to resist any attempt by anybody or group to unseat him.

The statement read in part, “What the APC wants to do now is tantamount to changing the goalpost after a goal had been scored. We want to warn the APC that any attempt to remove the deputy senate president will be resisted by all lovers of democracy.

“According to the law, the office is to be occupied by a Nigerian, properly elected by his colleagues. The election was keenly contested and Ekweremadu won. So, the question of removal should not arise. It is important to point out to the APC that this democracy was a hard-won victory hence the primordial interests of some selfish individuals would not be allowed to truncate it.

“We want them to know that what they are planning is a coup against democracy, against Nigeria and against the people of the South-East. The APC should not leave Nigerians with the impression that it is an intolerant party ready to rock the boat because things are currently not going its way.”

The group further noted that the forces against Ekweremadu were invoking the anger of the South-East people that voted him.

It added, “The Ndigbo will not fold its arms and watch any individual or group embark on hate moves against its representatives under whatever guise.”

The group said that the APC should rather concentrate its efforts on how to deliver its campaign promises and not to embark on projects that would further polarise Nigeria along tribal lines.