Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, says he will retire from Senate in 2023.

As such, the lawmaker said that he will no longer seek re-election to the Red Chambers.

Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West in National Assembly, announced this on Sunday in Enugu during his 57th birthday celebration.

The senator, completing his fourth tenure in the NASS, was re-elected for a fifth term during the just concluded general elections.

The lawmaker said it was time to quit the legislature, adding that his remaining time in NASS would afford him time to complete ongoing projects in his constituency.

He said that a new breed politician with shared visions would take over from him at the expiration of the fifth term.

Ekweremadu said that his 16 years sojourn in NASS had been immensely beneficial to his constituents as it had been a harvest of projects.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his support through the various projects being executed in his constituency.

Ekweremadu, who traced his political evolution from his time as president general of his town union, said that his political career had not always been smooth.

He said that his life had been a product of divine grace having passed through political persecution and vicissitude of life.

“I have been scorched and bruised and in all of these, God protected me. This will be my last time as a senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Ekweremadu said that he may have offended some people in the course of his political career, adding that such people should forgive him.

Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Mr Emmanuel Chukwuma, described the lawmaker as a perfect gentleman.

Chukwuma said that Ekweremadu had provided leadership at all levels of his political life.

The occasion also marked the 25th wedding anniversary of the lawmaker with his wife, Nwanneka Ekweremadu.

NAN