The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has berated the Nigerian Government over the travails of the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in the United Kingdom, UK.
Ohanaeze’s spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, accused the Federal Government of going after Ekweremadu and doing nothing to help him in the UK
Ogbonnia wondered why the Federal Government would confiscate Ekwereamdu’s properties amid his travail in the UK.
A UK court had sentenced Ekweremadu to nine years and 6 months in prison for organ trafficking and harvesting plot.
While expressing shock with the sentence, Chief Ogbonnia said he’s confident Ekweremadu will come out of the travails stronger.
His words: “They did not treat him like someone who has served meritoriously in this country. Rather, while he was facing the travails, the Federal Government came out with charges and allegations of corruption and seized his properties.
“This is a man who has been around you, walked with you for years and when he needed your help, there were busy talking about auctioning his properties. All those things indicated that it was not only the UK court that was after him, but the FG was also after him.”
Describing the judgment as ‘shocking’ and ‘painful’, the spokesman said Igbo leaders would pay Ekweremadu a visit soon, adding that the former lawmaker would come out of the experience ‘stronger and better’.
He added, “Before now, although not as Ohanaeze, we have visited him in prison. We still intend to do so even as he begins his sentence. It is shocking and painful that an illustrious Igbo man of that calibre will be involved in this kind of sentencing. However, there is nothing we can do about it for now.
“But I believe Ekweremadu will come out stronger and better. He has always been a strong and courageous man. Ohanaeze prays he comes out healthy to face the world again.”
