Omisore Fires Soyinka Over Comment On Bola Ige’s Murder

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has slammed Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka for accusing him of being a prime suspect in the murder of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bola Ige.

Omisore, a former Osun deputy governor accused the playwright of being mischievous in his statement, adding that the Professor was wrong for labelling him as a prime suspect in Ige’s murder.

In a statement on Sunday, the former Senator reminded Soyinka that he had been cleared by a competent court of law over the assassination of the former minister.

Recall that Soyinka had in a statement on Saturday berated the ruling party for appointing Omisore as its new scribe following his alleged involvement in Ige’s murder.

The Nobel Laureate said appointing Omisore as an executive of the ruling APC would compromise investigations into the death of the former AGF.

Omisore expressed disappointment at Soyinka who had accused the Obasanjo government of complicity in Ige’s death, saying that it is worrisome that the playwright could now describe him as a suspect a decade after the incident.

The former deputy governor, however, asked Soyinka to ask his cousin, former President Olusegun Obasanjo about the death of Ige.

The statement reads: “If the court of the land has vindicated a man, it is naive of him after nearly a decade to link Senator Iyiola Omisore to further search.

“Civil and criminal law knowledge should tell the professor to ask his cousin, OBJ about the murder.

“The world is aware of the framing of Senator Iyiola Omisore and his travails and trials facing murder charges and his subsequent acquittal and discharge, almost a decade ago by a competent court of the land.

“So, how come any man, can still refer to him as a possible suspect? The Prof is very wrong to say all that. It takes wickedness to spread the statements.”

Omisore accused his opponents and critics of using the death of the former minister as an issue of campaigns and elections deliberately to undermine his influence.

It added: “The recent volte-face of Soyinka on the Bola Ige matter gives one a cause for concern. First, I was not a member of the cabinet in Obasanjo’s government and second, a court of competent jurisdiction had set me and others free after a gruelling two and half years trial with N2 billion damages awarded still unpaid by the state government.

“Besides, why has Omisore/Bola Ige matter become an issue of campaigns and elections deliberately used by Omisore’s opponents to undermine his influence?

“Or, are some people who are worried by the erudite and strong personality and capacity of Omisore as National Secretary using Soyinka to settle scores or pursue their political ambitions?

“Politics is a game and an avenue to serve and the Nobel Laureate can throw his hat in the ring if he so wishes instead of making unsubstantiated claims and causing confusion here and there, acts, that don’t befit his international recognition as an elder and statesman.”