By Levinus Nwabughiogu – Vanguard Newspaper
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]OR alleging that former President Goodluck Jonathan institutionalized corruption in Nigeria, some members of the House of Representatives have asked the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to repent and see more good in others, or he will be given a platinum award in corruption.The lawmakers, under the aegis of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s House of
Representatives Caucus, also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to name major institutions after late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, to immortalize him.
In a statement, yesterday, titled Celebrating GEJ At 60, Immortalizing Ekwueme And A Look At Tinubu And The Nigerian Irony, by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Chukwuka Onyema, the lawmakers expressed gratitude to the president and Nigerians for celebrating former President Jonathan on his 60th birthday.
While eulogizing the life and times of Ekwueme in his service to the nation, the PDP House Caucus emphasized its conviction that time would prove that ex-President Jonathan and ex-VP Ekwueme deserved very worthy places in the annals of Nigeria’s history.
“We express our sincere appreciation to all Nigerians who joined us in celebrating the lives of two of Nigeria’s truly great men of all times.
“Beyond the realm of politics, it is noteworthy that these two fine gentlemen, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the passionate democrat and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the very urbane and knowledgeable political leader, both bequeathed unto coming generations of Nigerians, models of inspiration.
“Given the gargantuan odds over which he prevailed and rose to the highest position in the land, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s 60th birthday on November 20, was a milestone worth celebrating.
“Yet, it was a time that the self-effacing, humble former president preferred that we pause and reflect upon the
life and the passage into eternal realms, of a truly great and humble member of our family, Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, GCON.
“Ekwueme, one of the founding fathers of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, became the first elected Vice-President of Nigeria in 1979 and left office in 1983, materially poorer than his original worth after a flourishing professional career.
“As we celebrate former President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, GCON, we recall his immortal words that his ambition is not worth the blood of any citizen and again, we congratulate him for being widely acknowledged as the Face of Democracy in Africa, a continent where genuine and exemplary commitment to democratic ideals inspire heroic felicitation,” the caucus stated.
They continued: “We call on the Federal Government to seriously consider immortalizing Dr. Alex Ekwueme by naming a great institution of learning and other worthy structures that elevate the human spirit, after him.
“In all these, we must not forget the vicious sponsors of vile propaganda and deceitful lies against PDP and former President Jonathan. As we pray for a long prosperous life for former President Jonathan, and eternal rest for the gentle soul of former VP Ekwueme, we also pray for GEJ’s traducers like Bola Ahmed Tinubu for God to either give them a change of heart to see more good in others or for discerning Nigerians to give him his much-deserved platinum award in corruption.”
