AllProgressives Congress (APC) National Secretary Senator Iyiola Omisore yesterday demanded the retraction of the statement by Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka on the Chief Bola Ige murder case.
He said although he held the world renowned scholar in high esteem as an elder statesman and Nobel Laureate, he either made the statement without full knowledge of what had transpired in the matter or as a result of misinformation.
In a letter of April 4, 2022, by his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), addressed to Soyinka, the APC national secretary advised him to “be better informed and take necessary steps to withdraw the earlier comments.”
The former university don had said that “the resumption of investigation into the murder of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, was already hamstrung and disrobed of credibility with the emergence of a prime suspect in the case as the National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress.”
Taking exception, to the statement, Oyewole, who recalled the political differences that led to Omisore’s defection from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Osun State, pointed out that the former deputy governor was arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction in Oyo State.
He recalled that the basis of the said charge at that material time was predicated on the perceived political differences.
Oyewole added: “A proper investigation was not carried out into the said allegation as the arraignment, which was more of persecution than prosecution, was targeted at those perceived to have political differences with Chief Bola Ige. As a result of this unfounded allegation and the perceived political differences, our client and his supporters were arraigned before the High Court of Oyo State.
“It is pertinent to state, as it appears, that many people may forgotten what transpired on the night Chief Bola Ige was assassinated, that it was Chief Bola Ige himself who instructed his security guards to go and eat.”
“In spite of the wrongful persecution and incarceration of our client, he calmly defended himself in court, proved his innocence, and was rightly vindicated in the end.
“The High Court of Oyo State, in its judgment, having looked at the whole evidence assembled against our client by the prosecution, found him not guilty of the alleged offence, and subsequently discharged and acquitted our client.
“The said judgment of the court of competent jurisdiction exornerating our client is still valid, unchallenged, and stands till today.
“We therefore, expect that through this letter, you will be better informed and take necessary steps to withdraw the earlier comments credited to your good self in the publication under reference.”
