Ekweremadu Ike

Ike Ekweremadu is a Nigerian politician, lawyer, and former Senator for Enugu West, born on May 12, 1962 in Amachara Mpu, Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu State. He is of Igbo origin.

He served in the Nigerian Senate from June 3, 2003, until May 5, 2023, holding the position of Deputy President for three consecutive terms (6th, 7th, and 8th Senate).

Ekweremadu earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law from the University of Nigeria and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He later obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in law from the University of Abuja.

Initially appointed as the Executive Chairman of Aninri Local Government Council on the UNCP platform in 1997, he won the Best Council Chairman award that year.

In 2003, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate, where he investigated corruption allegations against FCT Minister Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, later charged with corruption himself.

He faced opposition in the 2005 Senate race for Deputy Senate President, losing to Senator Kenechukwu Nnamani. Later, he denied allegations of a power-sharing agreement with Northern senators for the 2007 elections.

During his tenure, he reviewed reports on Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s alleged fraud, though he avoided taking a definitive stance on corruption allegations against David Edevbie.

Re-elected in 2007, he became Deputy Senate President, allocating committee chairmanships to the Southeast zone, sparking disputes with some senators.

He was re-elected in 2011 and 2015, winning decisively in each election. In 2019, he was re-elected for the fifth time, but announced he would not seek another term in 2023.

In 2019, he lost a bid to become Deputy Senate President to Ovie Omo-Agege. He also faced an attack by IPOB members during a cultural event in Germany, where he was assaulted and dragged out of the venue.

In 2022, Ekweremadu and his family were charged in the UK for conspiring to facilitate an organ transplant involving a 21-year-old Nigerian man. He was convicted in March 2023 and sentenced to nine years and eight months imprisonment in May 2023.

Honored with awards such as the Knight of the Good Shepherd, Outstanding Citizen of the World by Rotary Club, and the Dr. Kwame Nkurumah Africa Leadership Award.