Ekweremadu: Begs UK Govt, appeal for mercy

By Lateef Bamgbose

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has again pleaded with the United Kingdom to temper justice with mercy in the case involving former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The Ekweremadus, who are standing trial in the United Kingdom over organ harvesting, will be sentenced tomorrow, May 5.

In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike pleaded with the UK to grant Ekweremadu, his wife and the third accused person, a medical doctor, clemency.

Okwu, who described Ekweremadu as a man of the people, noted that his humanitarian activities are there for everyone to see.

He begged that, “we want to, for the umpteenth time, beg the UK authorities to temper justice with mercy in deciding the case of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a man who has been living his life for the people.

“We know for sure that he couldn’t have committed the offense knowingly; he has never been convicted of any crime prior to this incident.

“It is also important to draw your attention to the plight of thousands of students who are enjoying university scholarships courtesy of Ikeoha Foundation, a pet project of the Ekweremadus.

“As we speak, those students are already stranded in different universities both in Nigeria and other parts of the world ever since this trial commenced. All their hopes and aspirations are on Senator Ekweremadu through his Foundation. Many others are also dependent on him for their survival.

“It is in the light of this that we appeal to the United Kingdom to grant him clemency as lessons have already been learnt from his period of detention.”