The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has reacted to the sentencing of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu to prison by a United Kingdom court.
Recall that Ekweremadu was on Friday jailed in the United Kingdom for nine years and eight months for an organ trafficking plot.
His wife, Beatrice, was also jailed for four years and six months due to her “more limited involvement” in the plot, as the court described Ekweremadu as the “driving force throughout” the process.
Reacting to the travails of Ekweremadu during an interview with Punch, the spokesperson for apex Igbo group, Chief Alex Ogbonnia said the Federal Government did nothing to help the senator.
He said, “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.”
Speaking further, Ogbonnia said they would pay a visit to the embattled politician in prison.
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.”
