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Why Tinubu Is Suddenly Interested in Ekweremadu — Mahdi Shehu Reveals
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Social critic and activist, Mahdi Shehu, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed interest in securing the release of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu from a United Kingdom prison is not an act of compassion but a calculated political move ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Shehu claimed that Tinubu’s decision to set up a high-powered committee to engage the British government over Ekweremadu’s imprisonment is part of a broader strategy to win political influence in the South-East.
According to him, the President had “suddenly woken up from his diplomatic slumber” to remember Ekweremadu, who has been in custody since his 2023 conviction for organ trafficking, noting that the timing of Tinubu’s intervention is far from coincidental.
“My take is that Tinubu is using this jamboree trip to show he cares and is concerned because the election is approaching. Ekweremadu is the only visible Ndi-Igbo politician not yet on the train. With him on board, Tinubu believes the South-East can finally be captured,” Shehu stated.
He criticized the move as politically selective, pointing out that many Nigerians are languishing in foreign prisons without government attention simply because they hold no political value.
“Other Nigerians detained or convicted abroad will never get Ekweremadu’s attention because, even if they were released, they are of no political use to Tinubu. Such is the miscalculation,” he added.
Shehu also highlighted the absence of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to the UK, arguing that a competent envoy could have handled the matter more effectively through normal diplomatic channels.
He further cautioned that the UK justice system is nearly watertight, noting that the only viable approach remaining might be a prisoner transfer treaty, if such an agreement currently exists between Nigeria and the UK.
Mahdi Shehu concluded that Tinubu’s sudden concern for Ekweremadu is not about justice or mercy, but a calculated outreach to the South-East ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
