Immediate past chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor 11 has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s leniency plea for the embattled Senator lke Ekweremadus is a right step in the right direction.
Obasanjo’s has written a letter to the chief clerk in London, United Kingdom (UK) seeking to mitigate the sentence slammed on former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice following their conviction on charges of organ harvesting by a UK court.
Efeizomor, who is the Obi of Owa Kingdom made the remark while reacting to the development, saying the letter and intervention by the former Nigerian president on the Ekweremadu legal battle was not only timely but also commendable as it was designed to reduce the sentence to a minimal level.
The Owa monarch described the move by Chief Obasanjo as the hallmark of an elder statesman whose voice is always considered on national and international issues.
He maintained that the character attestation of Senator Ekweremadu in Obasanjo’s letter was an open endorsement and validation of the personality of the former Nigerian Deputy Senate President and serving senator of the Federal Republic.
“I want to appreciate the former Nigerian 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 Delta Monarch urged the Chief Clerk of U.K Court to temper justice with mercy on the Ekweremadus considering the fact that their daughter’s health condition had continued to deteriorate with no help at sight.
Efeizomor reflected on the long standing relationship between UK and Nigerian adding that London should take another look at the Ekweremadus case and mitigate the punishment since he is a first offender and has never been convicted of any criminal offence.
