Constituents present Prof. Ike Ekweremadu nomination form to run for Senate in 2019

Prof. Ike Ekeremadu, Ph.D., CFR.

Longest serving Principal Officer of the National Assembly.  The Deputy President of the Senate for 12 years in possession of nomination form purchased by his constituents

Nigeria chose the presidential system of government mirroring the United States of America, the doyen of democracy. The legislative arm of the presidential system is the most representative of the people. The senate coming from the states and the House of Representatives coming from districts roughly by population distribution.  In United States the legislative arm is called the Congress and in Nigeria it is referred as the National Assembly (NASS).

Nigerian constitution as the United States' does not provide for term limit on the members of the legislative arm of government due to their unique role of being the representative of the people and the law makers who draft, propose, and pass legislations for assent by the head of the executive - the President.  It is not far fetch to understand why there is no term limit for the members of the Congress in United States and members of NASS in Nigeria.  It is because the old adage states that the more you do something the better you get at it.  It takes skills and experience to be a great law maker which is why the United States and Nigeria developed the ranking system in the legislative arm.

Unfortunately in Nigeria, some less informed operating in the mode mediocrity are touting zoning when it comes to representation  of the people knowing fully well that the constitution does not support such and does not support term limit for members of the National Assembly.

Perhaps the above informed the action of the people of Enugu West Senatorial zone led by the PG of Ohaneze, Chief Ogbonnia and political leaders who trooped to the residence of Prof. Ike Ekweremadu to urge him to run again for the senate seat by presenting to him the 3.5 million Naira PDP senate expression of interest and nomination for for 2019.

The good news is that Prof. Ike Ekweremadu has accepted to run again to continue his good work for the people of Enugu West Senatorial Zone at the Upper Chamber. God's willing this time he will be crowned the Senate President and in charge of the legislative arm of the government, a chamber he has served as the longest serving principal officer. 

Enugu West will continue to enjoy the robust representation made better by infrastructural development and Nigerian Senate will retain the skills, experience and wisdom of a seasoned and unique law maker, an intellectual in his own right, who has single-handed with his committee on constitutional review amended successfully and reshaped the shoddy constitution handed over by the military.  Prof. Ike Ekweremadu's presence in the Nigerian Senate is in line with the many American Senators who served successfully for many decades to the benefits of their people.  Enugu West is fully emulating United States of America as IkeOha Ndiigbo goes back to Senate. See below:

Constituents purchase and present PDP Senate nomination form to Ekweremadu, urge him to return to the Senate to continue  with quality representation. 

Total tenure rank	Uninterrupted tenure rank	Name	Party affiliation	Total tenure	Uninterrupted tenure	Reason for leaving
1	1	John Dingell (H)	Democratic	59 years, 21 days	59 years, 21 days	Retired
2	2	Robert Byrd (H, S)	Democratic	57 years, 176 days	57 years, 176 days	Died
3	3	Carl Hayden (H, S)	Democratic	56 years, 319 days	56 years, 319 days	Retired
4	4	Daniel Inouye (H, S)	Democratic	53 years, 118 days	53 years, 118 days	Died
5	5	Jamie Whitten (H)	Democratic	53 years, 60 days	53 years, 60 days	Retired
6	6	John Conyers (H)	Democratic	52 years, 336 days	52 years, 336 days	Resigned
7	7	Carl Vinson (H)	Democratic	50 years, 61 days	50 years, 61 days	Retired
8	8	Emanuel Celler (H)	Democratic	49 years, 305 days	49 years, 305 days	Lost renomination
9	9	Sam Rayburn (H)	Democratic	48 years, 257 days	48 years, 257 days	Died
10		Sidney R. Yates (H, I)	Democratic	48 years, 0 days	N/A	Retired
11	12	Strom Thurmond (S, I)	Democratic, Republican	47 years, 159 days	46 years, 57 days	Resigned, retired
12	10	Wright Patman (H)	Democratic	47 years, 3 days	47 years, 3 days	Died
13	11	Ted Kennedy (S)	Democratic	46 years, 292 days	46 years, 292 days	Died
14	13	Charles Rangel (H)	Democratic	46 years, 0 days	46 years, 0 days	Retired