Ekweremadu and his 22 properties

I have just heard with one ear (apologies to Prof Pius Adesanmi) that the deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has challenged the power of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to grant interim ownership of his 22 properties to the Federal Government.

I understand this was contained in a motion filed by his lead counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo on Tuesday, April 10. Ekweremadu is saying that under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the High Court lacks the jurisdiction “to entertain and exercise judicial powers in matters related to, connected with and arising from the Code of Conduct and Declaration of Assets.”

What Ekweremadu is saying in effect, if I understand correctly, is that the Federal Government does not have the power to seize his properties in UK, US and the UAE. In other words, he is not denying owning properties in foreign lands, only that the government cannot seize them even if his failure to declare them contravenes the law of the land.

Let us refreshen our memory. An investigation was launched by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property after it was alleged that EKweremadu did not properly declare his assets. Nine of the properties are said to be in Abuja; two in London, the United Kingdom; eight in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; and three in Florida, the United States of America.

Now Ekweremadu is challenging the power of the Federal High Court to issue a temporary forfeiture order on those properties. One may then ask, as a public officer, how legally, or even morally right, is it for Ekweremadu to own properties outside the shores of our land without declaring them on assumption of office? Let us take it for granted that he already had those properties before assuming public office. Why then not declare them on assumption of office? Hopefully, these are what our applicable laws would provide answers to in the days ahead.

In the mean time, I opine that Nigerians ought to be asking Ekweremadu to account for how he was able to acquire 22 choice properties in Nigeria, UK, US and UAE.

But trust our predilection to erect and deploy ethno-religious and political smokescreen around an issue that is straight forward, and over which the man himself has literally admitted culpability. As we are wont to do in this part of the world, we leave substance in pursuit of shadows.

Yet we expect Buhari alone to repair Nigeria.

The much I know about Ekweremadu is that he was chairman of Aninri Local Government council in 1997. In 2002 he was appointed Secretary to Enugu State Government. He later became Chief of Staff of Enugu State Government House, and then Senator since 2003

In all these positions. How much were/are his remunerations to be able to acquire 22 choice properties in Nigeria and three other countries?

Shouldn’t even the Senate itself be worried enough about the integrity of its leadership as to instigate investigation into this allegation against its own second-in-command?

If this allegation was made against, say, VP Osinbajo, wouldn’t the NASS crucify Aso Rock and even set up a probe panel? I posit that the Senate has a moral responsibility to ensure the probity of not just its members but also its leadership. Allegation such as this against one of its own principal officers ought to command its worry and action.

Buhari was Army general, petroleum resources minister, state governor, GOC, military head of state, PTF chairman and now President. How many houses does he own in Nigeria and abroad?