Bola Tinubu Moves To Free Jailed Ex-Senate Deputy As 2027 Election Pressure Mounts Over South-East Support

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s push for a second term has reportedly taken a strategic turn as his administration dispatches high-ranking officials to the United Kingdom to negotiate the early release of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is serving a nine-year jail sentence for organ trafficking. The move, seen as politically motivated, has triggered heated debates across Nigeria’s political landscape.

Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi were announced on Monday as special envoys tasked with opening talks for Mr Ekweremadu’s premature release. Their mission comes less than three years into the nine years and eight months’ sentence handed down by a British court in 2023. The conviction followed the politician’s role in attempting to harvest a young man’s kidney for his ailing daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu.

The development has generated strong reactions, with many observers linking it to Mr Tinubu’s growing concern over his re-election prospects. Opposition forces have been consolidating under the African Democratic Congress coalition, intensifying preparations ahead of the 2027 presidential contest. Analysts believe that the president’s sudden interest in Mr Ekweremadu’s fate is an attempt to rebuild bridges with the South-East, where his political influence remains extremely weak.

Mr Tinubu’s performance in the South-East during the 2023 elections was notably poor. In Enugu State, where Mr Ekweremadu hails from, the president secured only 4,772 votes, one of his lowest returns nationwide. The region overwhelmingly supported Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, who won by wide margins across all five South-Eastern states. Restoring ties with influential figures like Mr Ekweremadu could be seen as a calculated attempt to soften resistance in that zone.

Governor Peter Mbah’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress further heightened speculation that realignments for 2027 are already in motion. The timing of the envoy’s visit appears to align with the ruling party’s broader efforts to court political heavyweights from the region and reshape perceptions ahead of the next general elections.

Mr Tinubu’s administration has so far avoided direct comment on whether the initiative to free Mr Ekweremadu is tied to electoral motives. However, critics argue that the president is trying to score political points by exploiting a humanitarian case. Supporters of the government maintain that the move reflects Nigeria’s diplomatic responsibility to protect its citizens abroad, regardless of their convictions.

Complicating the atmosphere is the renewed international spotlight on Nigeria following recent allegations by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to Christian persecution. The accusation has placed additional strain on Mr Tinubu’s image at a time when he faces mounting economic discontent and insecurity challenges.

The ongoing detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, continues to inflame tensions in the South-East. Many analysts believe that addressing the cases of both Kanu and Ekweremadu could form part of a broader reconciliation strategy to pacify the region before the 2027 polls.

For now, the mission of Nigeria’s envoys in London represents more than a diplomatic gesture. It signals the early stirrings of what promises to be a fiercely contested presidential race. Whether Mr Tinubu’s gamble will yield political dividends or backfire remains uncertain, but his latest move has undoubtedly reopened discussions about power, loyalty, and strategy within Nigeria’s volatile political theatre.