Social critic and activist Mahdi Shehu has disclosed the reason behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s sudden interest in the prison case of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Shehu claimed that Tinubu’s efforts to secure Ekweremadu’s release from a UK prison are politically motivated, suggesting the move is linked to preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a post on his official X account on Tuesday, Shehu argued that Tinubu’s recent decision to establish a high-powered committee to engage the United Kingdom government over Ekweremadu’s imprisonment was driven by political strategy rather than compassion.
Ekweremadu has been serving a sentence in the UK since his 2023 conviction for organ trafficking.
According to Shehu, the President only recently “woke up from his diplomatic slumber” to address the matter, despite Nigeria currently lacking a substantive ambassador in London, who could have handled the issue more effectively through normal diplomatic channels.
“The UK justice system is nearly watertight. The opportunity to resolve the Ekweremadu issue was lost long ago,” Shehu wrote.
He added that the only viable option for Nigeria now is to explore a prisoner transfer agreement, if such a treaty exists between the two countries.
Shehu further claimed that Tinubu’s actions are politically motivated, saying: “My take is that Tinubu is using the Jamboree trip to show he cares and is concerned because the election is approaching.
Ekweremadu is the only visible Ndi-Igbo figure not yet ‘on the train.’ With him on board, Ndi-Igbo support will be fully captured.”
He argued that other Nigerians convicted or detained abroad are unlikely to receive similar attention, as they hold no political value to the President.