In This Biography
Ike Ekweremadu Biography, Age, Networth, Career, Family, Spouse
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Ike Ekweremadu
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|---|---|
| Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate | |
| In office 5 June 2007 – 9 June 2019 |
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| President | David Mark Bukola Saraki |
| Preceded by | Ibrahim Mantu |
| Succeeded by | Ovie Omo-Agege |
| Senator for Enugu West | |
| Assumed office 3 June 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Ben-Collins Ndu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 May 1962 Amachara Mpu, Eastern Region, Nigeria (now Amachara Mpu, Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria) |
| Political party | People’s Democratic Party (PDP) |
| Spouse | Nwanneka Ekweremadu |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Abuja, Nigeria |
| Profession | Lawyer, Politician |
Who is Ike Ekweremadu?
Ike Ekweremadu (born 12 May 1962) is a Nigerian politician and lawyer from Enugu State who has served in the Senate of Nigeria since June 2003. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party and was the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate for three (3) consecutive (6th, 7th, and 8th) senates. On 23 June 2022, Ekweremadu was charged alongside his wife in UK Magistrate’s Court with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old into the UK in order to harvest organs.
Early life
Ike Ekweremadu was born at Amachara Mpu in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State and is of Igbo origin. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from the University of Nigeria and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in law from the University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Political appointments
He was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the Aninri Local Government Council on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in 1997 and won the Best Council Chairman of the year, in 1997.
Senatorial career
The Guardian and erstwhile Federal Commissioner of the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko advocate visit to the Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu
On 12 April 2003, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate. In September 2003, as Vice Chairman of the senate committee on Information, Chief Ekweremadu stated that the senate would make a serious investigation into allegations of bribery leveled by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. Relations between Nasir El-Rufai and the senate continued to be hostile, and El-Rufai was eventually charged with corruption in 2008. In 2005, Ike Ekweremadu was beaten in the race for President of the Senate of Nigeria by Senator Kenechukwu Nnamani.
In July 2006, as a spokesperson for the Southern Senators’ Forum, Ekweremadu denied charges that they had made an agreement to return power to the North in the 2007 elections. In September 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo asked the Senate to review a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that laid charges of fraud against Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Ike Ekweremadu promised to establish a committee of inquiry whose report would be submitted to the Senate, although he noted that impeachment would be difficult since it would require a 2/3 majority.
Ekweremadu was returned in the 29 April 2007 Nigerian National Assembly election and elected to the position of deputy senate president. He was given the job of handing out committee chairmanship positions allocated to the southeast zone, making decisions that were unpopular with leaders such as Senator Chris Anyanwu, who failed to get the positions they wanted. In July 2007, Ekweremadu was instrumental in defusing objections to the controversial nomination of Ojo Maduekwe to a ministerial position.
When President Umaru Yar’Adua’s Principal Private Secretary, David Edevbie, was allegedly indicted in September 2009 in a British court for corruption and money laundering, Ekweremadu refused to take a position, stating that he did not know the facts. In September 2009, Ekweremadu was named co-chairman of a committee to conduct the primary elections for the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate for Anambra State.
Senatorial election 2011
Ekweremadu was reelected as Senator for Enugu West in the April 2011 elections, receiving 112,806 votes. The closest runner-up was the candidate of the Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC), Jackson Ezeoffor, who got 7,522 votes.
Senatorial election 2019
On 23 February 2019, Ekweremadu was re-elected as senator representing the Enugu West senatorial district For the Fifth Consecutive time having polled 86,088 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 15,187 votes.
On 11 June 2019, Ekweremadu lost his bid to become Deputy Senate President of the Nigerian 9th Senate. Ekweremadu contested against Ovie Omo-Agege who scored 68 votes to emerge Winner. In the early hours of Tuesday, he returned his official cars.
Ekweremadu has indicated he will retire from the Nigerian Senate by not running for office in 2023.
ECOWAS
In September 2009, he was appointed to lead the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ad hoc committee to work for the return of constitutional order in the Niger Republic. He was elected the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and emerged as the Speaker of the regional parliament in August 2011.
Attack in Nuremberg, Germany
On 17 August 2019, while attending the Second Annual Cultural Festival and Convention organized by Ndi-Igbo Germany in Nuremberg, Ekweremadu became the victim of a violent attack when members of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB stormed the venue of the event and began to question Ekweremadu about the killings of Igbos when the Nigerian army staged Operation Crocodile Smile and Python Dance. They also questioned Ekweremadu about his purported role in the proscription of IPOB in Nigeria. The situation soon degenerated to the extent that Ekweremadu was physically dragged out of the venue, assaulted, and pelted with eggs. He would later announce that he got away from the venue with little injuries. The leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu issued a statement on the attack on Ekweremadu calling it a “polite warning” while at the same time warning other Igbo governors of a possible similar treatment. The four suspects were arrested and convicted of physical assault and sentenced to 20 days of hard labor without any option of fine.
2022 charges of UK organ-harvesting conspiracy
On 23 June 2022, Ekweremadu was charged alongside his wife in UK Magistrate’s Court with conspiring to arrange the travel of an alleged 21-year-old from Lagos into the UK in order to harvest organs.
Awards and honors
- CFR, Knight of the Good Shepherd, Ikeoha Ndigbo.
- Rotary Club’s Outstanding Citizen of the World 2017.
- Dr. Kwame Nkurumah Africa Leadership Award (2005).
Ike Ekweremadu Networth
He is estimated to be worth between $5m – $20m
References
- ^ “Ekweremadu at 51 – a profile in grace”. Vanguard News. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ Joseph Nkosi (25 June 2022). “Ike Ekweremadu Biography, Age, Wife, Daughter, Career and Net Worth”. The Nation.co.za. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ Fashagba, Joseph Yinka; Ajayi, Ola-Rotimi Matthew; Nwankwor, Chiedo, eds. (2019). “The Nigerian National Assembly”. Advances in African Economic, Social, and Political Development. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11905-8. ISBN 978-3-030-11904-1. ISSN 2198-7262. S2CID 211384008.
- ^ Khadijat Lawal (23 June 2022). “Things you should know about Ekweremadu, lawmaker, and lawyer arrested for organ harvesting”. Daily Trust. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ “Two people charged with conspiracy offences linked to allegations of organ harvesting”. Metropolitan Police. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Ogbonnia, Chiedozie Alex (18 May 2013). “Ekweremadu at 51 – a profile in grace”. Vanguard Newspaper. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ Tony Adibe (16 May 2022). “After 20 years in Senate, Ekweremadu eyes Enugu Govt House”. Daily Trust. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ This Day (2017). “Ekweremadu: A Stabilising Force in Senate”. This Day.
- ^ Cyril (10 May 2022). “Ekweremdu @ 60: bringing Robust Experience on the table”. The Sun. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ “Shady Deals”. Newswatch Communications Limited. 8 June 2003. Archived from the original on 25 April 2006. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
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