The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, says the National Assembly will strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws before the 2015 general elections to remove all forms of impunity in the electoral system.
Ekweremadu gave the assurance in a keynote address at the 11th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme: “Incumbency and Impunity in Politics: Safeguarding Our Democracy Beyond 2015”.
He expressed regrets that political impunity remained the number one enemy of the country’s democracy.
He said the political elites were expected to provide exemplary leadership that epitomised respect for the rule of law and electoral sanctity at all times.
According to him, politicians are Nigerians and events in the nation’s politics reflect the character of the country’s body polity.
“If politicians are able to manipulate the electoral processes with their power of incumbency, this is because the entire socio-economic and political configurations of the country are conducive for such level of political corruption.
“The quest to secure our democracy beyond 2015 is indeed a collective struggle.
He cautioned politicians bent on destroying the nation’s democracy, in the pursuit of their political ambitions, to be reminded that “whenever the house falls, the roof falls with it.”
Ekweremadu, who is also the chairman, Senate Constitution Review Committee, assured that the National Assembly would stand with Nigerians to protect the nation’s democracy.