Ike Ekweremadu
Encyclopedia
Ike Ekweremadu is a Nigeria
n lawyer from Enugu State
and a member of the People's Democratic Party
who has been a senator since May 2003 and is now Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
origin. He holds both Bachelors and Masters Degree in Law from the University of Nigeria
, Enugu Campus and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.
, who went on to be elected senate president. This followed Wabara's successful appeal to be declared victor of the April 12 election in place of D.C. Imo, candidate of the ANPP.
In September 2003, as vice chairman of the senate committee on Information, Chief Ekweremadu stated that the senate would make a serious investigation into allegations of bribery leveled by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai
.
Relations between Nasir el-Rufai and the senate continued to be hostile, and el-Rufai was eventually charged with corruption in 2008.
In 2005, the People's Democratic Party decided to limit the contest for Senate President to Enugu State. Ike Ekweremadu was beaten in the race by Senator Kenechukwu Nnamani by 47 votes to 13.
In July 2006, as spokesperson for the Southern Senators’ Forum, Ekweremadu denied charges that they had made an agreement to return power to the North in the 2007 elections.
In September 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo asked the Senate to review a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
that laid charges of fraud against Vice-President Atiku Abubakar
. Ike Ekweremadu promised to establish a committee of inquiry whose report would be submitted to the Senate, although he noted that impeachment would be difficult since it would require a 2/3 majority.
In July 2007, Ekweremadu was instrumental in defusing objections to the controversial nomination of Ojo Maduekwe
to a ministerial position.
Later that year, following a meeting between Senator Ekweremadu and president Umaru Yar'Adua to discuss southeastern economic development the government announced plans to upgrade the Enugu
Airport to an international airport.
When President Umaru Yar'Adua
’s Principal Private Secretary, David Edevbie, was indicted in September 2009 in a British court for corruption and money laundering, Ekweremadu refused to take a position, stating that he did not know the facts. In September 2009, Ekweremadu was named co-chairman of a committee to conduct the primary elections for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate for Anambra State
. In September 2009, he was appointed to lead the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) ad-hoc committee to would work for the return of constitutional order in the Niger Republic.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n lawyer from Enugu State
Enugu State
Enugu State is a mainland state in southeastern Nigeria. Its capital is Enugu, from which the state - created in 1991 from the old Anambra State - derives its name. The principal cities in the state are Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Oji, and Nsukka....
and a member of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
who has been a senator since May 2003 and is now Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Early life
Ike Ekweremadu was born in 1962 at Amachara Mpu in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, and is of IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
origin. He holds both Bachelors and Masters Degree in Law from the University of Nigeria
University of Nigeria
The University of Nigeria, commonly referred to as UNN, is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Founded in 1955 and formally opened on 7 October 1960, the University of Nigeria has four campuses – Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku-Ozalla – located in Enugu State and one in Aba, Abia...
, Enugu Campus and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.
Obasanjo presidency
In 2002 Chief Ike Ekweremadu was appointed Secretary to the Enugu State Government, and on April 12, 2003 he was elected to the Nigerian Senate. At one time he was the leading contender to become the southeast region candidate for the senate presidency that year, but was replaced by Adolphus WabaraAdolphus Wabara
Adolphus Ndaneweh Wabara is a former Nigerian senator who represented the People's Democratic Party in Abia State. He became a senator in 1999, and was president of the Senate of Nigeria from 2003 to 2005, he continued his tenure as a senator until 2007 when he stepped down.-Background:Adolphus...
, who went on to be elected senate president. This followed Wabara's successful appeal to be declared victor of the April 12 election in place of D.C. Imo, candidate of the ANPP.
In September 2003, as vice chairman of the senate committee on Information, Chief Ekweremadu stated that the senate would make a serious investigation into allegations of bribery leveled by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai
Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai
Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai was a former Director General of The Bureau of Public Enterprises, the head privatisation agency in Nigeria and also the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja from 16 July 2003 to 29 May 2007...
.
Relations between Nasir el-Rufai and the senate continued to be hostile, and el-Rufai was eventually charged with corruption in 2008.
In 2005, the People's Democratic Party decided to limit the contest for Senate President to Enugu State. Ike Ekweremadu was beaten in the race by Senator Kenechukwu Nnamani by 47 votes to 13.
In July 2006, as spokesperson for the Southern Senators’ Forum, Ekweremadu denied charges that they had made an agreement to return power to the North in the 2007 elections.
In September 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo asked the Senate to review a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
that laid charges of fraud against Vice-President Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alias Turakin Adamawa, GCON was the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is a Muslim native of Adamawa State, and was an influential member of the ruling People's Democratic Party until 2006 when he switched affiliation to the Action Congress party...
. Ike Ekweremadu promised to establish a committee of inquiry whose report would be submitted to the Senate, although he noted that impeachment would be difficult since it would require a 2/3 majority.
Yar'Adua presidency
Ekweremadu was returned in the 29 April 2007 Nigerian National Assembly election, and retained his position as deputy senate president. He was given the job of handing out committee chairmanship positions allocated to the southeast zone, making decisions that were unpopular with leaders such as Senator Chris Anyanwu, who failed to get the positions they wanted.In July 2007, Ekweremadu was instrumental in defusing objections to the controversial nomination of Ojo Maduekwe
Ojo Maduekwe
Chief Ojo Maduekwe was appointed Foreign Minister of Nigeria on July 26, 2007 by President Umaru Yar'Adua.He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet....
to a ministerial position.
Later that year, following a meeting between Senator Ekweremadu and president Umaru Yar'Adua to discuss southeastern economic development the government announced plans to upgrade the Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
Airport to an international airport.
When President Umaru Yar'Adua
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was the President of Nigeria and the 13th Head of State. He served as governor of Katsina State in northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007. He was declared the winner of the controversial Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May...
’s Principal Private Secretary, David Edevbie, was indicted in September 2009 in a British court for corruption and money laundering, Ekweremadu refused to take a position, stating that he did not know the facts. In September 2009, Ekweremadu was named co-chairman of a committee to conduct the primary elections for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate for Anambra State
Anambra State
Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...
. In September 2009, he was appointed to lead the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) ad-hoc committee to would work for the return of constitutional order in the Niger Republic.