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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Obi of Owa Kingdom in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II has hailed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s leniency plea for the embattled Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu, a Nigerian politician and immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, was recently convicted by a UK court for organ harvesting.
As a result, former president, Obasanjo, in a letter to the Chief Clerk in London, is seeking to mitigate the sentence to be slammed on Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice.
Obi Efeizomor described Obasanjo’s move as a right step in the right direction.
The former chairman off Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council said the letter by the former Nigerian leader was not only timely and apt but commendable as it was designed to reduce the sentence to a minimal level without detracting from the conviction which had been pronounced by the foreign court.
He said the move was the hallmark of an elder statesman whose voice is always considered on national and international issues.
The royal father maintained that the character attestation of Ekweremadu in Obasanjo’s letter was an open endorsement and validation of the personality of the former Nigerians Deputy Senate President and serving senator of the Federal Republic.
“I want to appreciate the former president for his initiative to intervene on behalf of Senator Ekweremadu.
“I think it is a bold and wise step worthy of commendation. It is my view that other eminent Nigerians to take a cue and lend their voices on the matter,” he said.
While admitting that costly mistakes had been made by the convicts, the monarch urged the Chief Clerk of U.K Court to temper justice with mercy on compassionate grounds on the Ekweremadus considering the fact that their daughter’s health condition had continued to deteriorate with no help in sight.
Dr. Efeizomor II reflected on the long standing relationship between UK and Nigeria, adding that London should take another look at the case and mitigate the punishment since he is a first offender and has never been convicted of any criminal offence.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to urgently step into the matter by way of exploring diplomatic vehicles to show sympathetic attitude for the Ekweremadus in the London court.
