Headlines

Soyinka: Omisore’s Election as APC National Secretary Has Crippled Probe of Bola Ige’s Murder

Published

3 years ago

April 4, 2022

By Derrick Bangura

Prof. Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate, criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) for electing Senator Iyiola Omisore as its National Secretary on Saturday.
Soyinka called Omisore “one of the primary suspects” in the assassination of Chief Bola Ige, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The Nobel laureate said Omisore’s election had “hamstrung” the probe into Ige’s death in a statement posted Saturday.

After President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to his appeal to re-open Ige’s unsolved murder at the 20th anniversary of the tragic incident, the Nobel laureate pondered why Omisore was appointed as the party’s scribe.
He raised diverse questions on Buhari’s commitment to resolving the murder case after he had ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba to re-open the case files and resume the investigation.
Ige, also a former governor of old Oyo State, was gruesomely murdered on December 23, 2001, by yet-to-be-identified assailants in his Solemilia Court located at No 8, Akinlabi Sanda Close, Bodija in Ibadan, Oyo State.
His murder triggered the sudden death of his wife, Justice Atinuke Ige.
Omisore, the then Deputy Governor of Osun State, was fingered in the murder of the late AGF as the prime suspect, having been entangled in the protracted internal crisis that plagued the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD).

Ige, Omisore and his former principal, Chief Bisi Akande, were deeply involved in the party’s crisis.
Ige’s assassination was linked to an altercation that happened at the palace of Ooni of Ife, the late Oba Sijuwade Okunade during the conferment of chieftaincy title on some personalities.
In December 2002, Omisore was impeached as the Deputy Governor of Osun State over breach of oath of office and other offences.
After his impeachment, Omisore was arrested and detained over Ige’s murder but he repeatedly denied any involvement.
He was however, discharged and acquitted in June 2004 by an Ibadan High Court, which cited “contradictions and inconsistencies” as well as insufficient evidence in the prosecution’s case.
Omisore, a former senator, was adopted as the APC National Secretary at the party’s last national convention in Abuja.

Lamenting what he described as an unusual turn of events, Soyinka, in his statement yesterday, said these events had raised questions because the ruling party had just elected as its National Secretary one of the prime suspects of the most notorious of the nation’s unsolved murders.
He said: “Not for a moment does one suggest that mere accusation, even trial, presumes guilt. More than a mere verdict is involved in any trial, however.
“The process of arriving at that ultimate destination – justice – is integral to the very concept of democracy and equality under the law. That process is one of the structures of civic education.
“Unresolved till today were quite some untidy, even suspect aspects of the investigation, prosecution and trials, aspects, which revealed improper cell co-habitation by suspects under custody.

“That this led necessarily to recantations of earlier depositions is not thereby proven, but the fact remains that such U-turns did take place. One was so brazen that it induced a heart attack that proved fatal to the victim’s wife, another Justice – Mrs Atinuke Ige.
“That the prime suspect was privileged in some improper ways went beyond mere allegation. Political interventions, including pressure on the judiciary during bail hearings, cannot be denied. A judge under such pressure kept a diary with accusations, pages of which he consigned to friends for safekeeping.”
Explaining what Omisore’s emergence means to re-opening Ige’s murder case, Soyinka said the resumption of an investigation into the murder case was already hamstrung and disrobed of credibility with the emergence of a prime suspect in the case as the National Secretary of the ruling APC.

With Omisore’s emergence as the APC National Secretary, Soyinka rhetorically asked: “Is the Inspector-General of Police equipped to confront political obstacles in a resumption of investigation?
“Is there any guarantee that the result will see the light of day? How suspect, ab initio, will be the conclusions, given the present political ordering? To this layman, that investigative revisit is already hamstrung and disrobed of credibility.
“I think the nation should simply relieve President Buhari of his pledge. I am certain the Inspector-General of Police will be equally relieved and can now turn his mind and energy to the national accustomed posture – business as usual.”
Soyinka wondered what happened to Buhari’s pledge to re-open an enquiry into the country’s spate of political murders in response to his demand at the 20th anniversary of Ige’s murder.
He lamented that barely three months had passed since the 20th anniversary of Ige’s murder – an occasion, which according to him, was used to remind the president of a subsisting election pledge.

He said: “That pledge was to re-open the files on the spate of unsolved political assassinations that had plagued the nation in recent decades. Prominent among those cases was that of the Minister of Justice, murdered on his way to take up a prestigious position with the United Nations.
“Presidential response was swift. Buhari ordered the Inspector-General of Police to re-open those files and resume investigations. The nation has patiently awaited even a hint of work in progress.
“Most, I am certain, expect no less than a revaluation of prior investigative efforts. None, to my knowledge, has attempted to rush the Chief of Police and his team into judgment.
“We all take solace in the knowledge that the wheels of justice grind slowly, but they arrive. Eventually,” Soyinka said in his statement doubting the president’s pledge to resolve Ige’s murder.

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Headlines

Akwa Ibom APC Gears Up to Receive President Tinubu as Governor Umo Eno Joins Party

Published

3 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced its readiness to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other top party leaders as it officially welcomes Governor Umo Eno into its ranks.

Speaking at a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, APC chieftain and former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed that the party was fully prepared to receive the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, and governors elected on the party’s platform for the historic reception.

Governor Umo Eno had on June 6 formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, in a move widely described as a political game-changer in Akwa Ibom.

Enang, a former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and Niger Delta Affairs, said the governor’s defection had effectively aligned the state with the central government.

He assured Governor Eno and his supporters that the APC would embrace them wholeheartedly and honour all agreements reached.

“As progressives, we shall work with the governor and his supporters to ensure that they fit into the party without hitches,” Enang stated. “We will also work with them to align programmes of the state government with the ideals and manifesto of the party.”

He further described the governor’s move as a “merger” that promises significant benefits for Akwa Ibom and its citizens.

The planned reception is expected to mark a major political event in the state, signaling a realignment of forces ahead of future elections.

Headlines

Ekiti Launches Aggressive Anti-Flood Campaign, Dredges Ofigba River

Published

3 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Ekiti State Government has intensified efforts to prevent flooding across the state with the launch of a comprehensive dredging campaign, targeting critical waterways in both rural and urban areas.

Chairman of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection visit to the ongoing dredging project at the Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti.

Oguntoyinbo, who was accompanied by EKSEPA board members, said the visit was to assess the progress of work being carried out to mitigate flood risks in the community. He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the dredging work.

“I and other board members of EKSEPA are delighted with the level of job done by the site engineer because he is actually working with the directives of three-kilometer dredging of waterways,” he said.

According to him, the dredging commenced on June 4, and so far, 1.8 kilometers of the river have been successfully cleared.

He applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the safety and welfare of residents by initiating the state-wide anti-flooding campaign.

“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for embarking on zero tolerance campaign against flooding in every community and town in Ekiti,” Oguntoyinbo stated.

He also praised the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, for his commitment to the project’s supervision and success.

In his remarks, Adunmo emphasized the urgent need to clear waterways choked by refuse, which impede water flow and contribute to flooding during the rainy season.

“Dredging of Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area is necessary because some of the waterways have been blocked by refuse,” he explained. “There is the need for us to remove every blockage to enhance free flow of water and avert flooding during heavy rainfall.”

Adunmo also commended Governor Oyebanji for taking proactive steps to protect lives and properties across the state.

Residents of Ise-Ekiti have welcomed the government’s intervention. Chief Godwin Ojo, a community leader, expressed gratitude to the governor for his timely action.

“We thank the governor for the move to avert flooding in our community,” Ojo said. “May God grant him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable height.”

The dredging campaign forms part of the Oyebanji administration’s broader commitment to environmental safety and disaster prevention.

Developmental

Tinubu to visit Kaduna Thursday to inaugurate key projects

Published

3 weeks ago

June 19, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Tinubu commiserates with Akwa Ibom governor over wife’s death

President Bola Tinubu is expected in Kaduna State Today Thursday for the inauguration of several key developmental projects executed by the administration of Gov. Uba Sani.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit forms part of activities marking Sani’s two years in office.

The projects lined up for inauguration include the 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City, Kaduna, built by the state government to bolster the provision of healthcare services.

Tinubu will also inaugurate the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, road projects in Soba, and Samaru Kataf LGA’S as well as the 24-kilometre Kafanchan Township Road.

Others are the Tudun Biri Road, the 22km road linking Kauru and Kubau LGAs as well as the Vocational and Skills Training Centre in Tudun Biri.

Tinubu is also expected to unveil 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as part of efforts to modernise the state’s public transportation system.

The projects are part of the administration’s focus on infrastructurde evelopment, healthcare delivery, youths empowerment, and economic growth.

The state government described the visit as a significant moment for the people of Kaduna and an opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts to transform the state through impactful governance.

Sani, who marked his second year in office this month, has prioritised human capital development, rural infrastructure, and jobs creation since taking office in 2023.

Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna State was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday.

He was initially supposed to visit Kaduna on Wednesday, but due to the recent attacks in Benue, he shifted his trip.

The president visited Benue on Wednesday to commiserate with the victims of the recent attacks and assess the humanitarian crisis.

During his visit to Benue, Tinubu met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.

He also condemned the ongoing violence and called on the residents to embrace peace and mutual understanding.

NAN recalls that the Benue Government had declared a work-free day for Tinubu’s visit, urging the residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome him.