This is not the best of times for former President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently waging his toughest legal battle in the United Kingdom to avert a sudden fall from grace to grass.
Many had wanted the Senator representing Enugu West senatorial district to emulate the former Senate President, Senator David Mark, who bowed out honourably when the ovation was loudest but he continued to push his political luck too far.
First, he successfully gambled and retained his position as the Deputy Senate President on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015. Second, his victory in 2015 intoxicated him that he re-contested for the position in 2019 without taking his party into confidence and lost woefully to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Third, his inordinate ambition pushed him to aspire to be the governor of Enugu State when he knew that by the zoning arrangement in the state, that it would be the turn of Enugu East senatorial zone to produce the governor in 2023. Ekweremadu knew that before it would be the turn of his Enugu West in 2031, he probably would no longer be relevant in the politics of the state. So, he ignored all pleas by the political leaders and elders in the state, who prevailed on him not to truncate the zoning arrangement for the sake of peace, justice and equity.
It was not until a few hours to the PDP governorship election when he realised that he stood no chance that he withdrew from the election and threatened to continue court action. But having realised later that court action would not help him to realise his gubernatorial ambition, Ekweremadu later formally withdrew and congratulated the winner, Mr. Peter Mbah.
As if losing his governorship bid was not enough, Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, were arrested and clamped into detention in the United Kingdom following an allegation of attempting to harvest organs.
The UK Metropolitan Police charged them with conspiracy to facilitate the travel of another person for organ harvesting in the UK. They were on Thursday denied bail by an Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court and would remain in custody until July 17.
Ekweremadu will need the best lawyers in the UK to avert conviction that will destroy his political career permanently.
