Skip to main content

Senators grill ministerial nominee over Bola Ige’s death


A ministerial nominee from Osun State, Oyewale Adesiyan, on Thursday made spirited effort to clear his name from the accusation that linked him to the murder of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. Ige was assassinated in his Bodija home, Ibadan on December 23, 2001. The drama started when Senate President David Mark asked Adesiyan to give more personal information that were not included in his curriculum vitae which he submitted to the Senate. The nominee commended the senators for the opportunity offered him to stand before them to speak as a ministerial nominee. He noted that he was one of those wrongly accused to have had a hand in Ige’s death. He said, “It may interest you distinguished senators to know that I am one of those wrongly accused to have had a hand in the death of my mentor, Chief Bola Ige. “It was all political blackmail because I knew nothing about the death of Chief Bola Ige. I was detained for three and half years for something I knew nothing about. “I stand here to say that I knew nothing about the death of Chief Bola Ige.” He described the late Ige as his political mentor whom he had no reason to kill. His submissions generated reactions among the senators including Senator Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South) who interjected by raising up his hand to seek Mark’s permission to question Adesiyan. Mark granted his request. Uzamere said, “Mr. Nominee, you mentioned in the course of your speech the death of Chief Bola Ige. Can you swear by the Quran that you do not know anything about the death of Bola Ige?” The question was protested by some of the senators who shouted that the Senate was not a place of worship or a shrine where such oath could be taken. But Uzamere added, “You said that you did not kill Bola Ige, that you were accused wrongly and detained for three and half years. We are in the same boat because I was also detained. “The question I want you to answer is, did you kill Bola Ige? Did you have anything to do with the death of Bola Ige? If the Holy Quran is not here as some senators said, I want to ask you did you kill Bola Ige? What do you know about the death of Bola Ige?” The protest persisted in the chamber but, Uzamere insisted that Adesiyan should answer the questions and this made the Senate President to demand a response from Adesiyan. Adesiyan said, “I thank Senator Uzamere for his questions. I do not know whether I can be availed with a copy of the Holy Quran. But I maintain and say that I did not kill Chief Bola Ige. “I did not have any reason to kill Chief Bola Ige but I was wrongly fingered to have killed him. Chief Bola Ige sent me to United States for education, he was my mentor. I am saying it today if Chief Bola Ige gave money to anybody, it is my family and I. “The reason I was fingered was because as the Assistant Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, I changed (defected) to the PDP. Because of that, I was fingered and punished as having something to do with the assassination of Chief Bola Ige. “When I was in detention, I used to pinch myself whether I was dreaming because I had nothing to do with the death of Chief Bola Ige. It was all calculated political blackmail.” Apart from Adesiyan, other ministerial nominees screened by the Senate on Thursday were a former governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto) and Dr. Tamuno, Danagogo (Rivers). Hajia Hadjia Jamilla Salik (Kano) and Asabe Ahmed (Niger) did not appear for the screening

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The War between Iconic Emeka Ike and Segun Arinze

The war between iconic actors Segun Arinze and Emeka Ike seems to have no end in sight. In a recent interview, Arinze had said Ike should stop embarrassing the Actors Guild of Nigeria by parading himself as its president. According to Segun: ‘Emeka should grow up. As far as I am concerned, Ibinabo Fiberesima is the bonafide president. Even in the recent judgement that came out recently telling us to return to the status quo, what does it mean? We were told to go back to the way we were. There was no time Emeka Ike was pronounced the president of AGN. Let him bring out the copy of the judgement and show us if he is man enough. He should wake up and stop embarrassing the guild.” Well, these words did not go down well with Ike who believes Segun Arinze “is an illiterate who should have been in jail.” He told Saturday Beats: “I heard Segun Arinze was interviewed and he said so many things about me and nobody asked me for my own side. I don’t think it was a balanced report. Se...
3 comments
Read more

400-YEAR Old Church Emerge From Receding Water

No biggie, but a Colonial-era church has emerged from receding waters in Mexico. Leonel Mendoza fishes every day in a reservoir surrounded by forest and mountains in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. But in recent days, he has been ferrying curious passengers out to see the remains of a colonial-era church that has emerged from the receding waters. Pretty impressive, right? A drought this year means the level of the Grijalva River, which flows into the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir, has dropped by 25 meters (82 feet). It is the second time a drop in the reservoir has revealed the church since it was flooded when the dam was completed in 1966. In 2002, the water was so low visitors could walk inside the church. ‘The people celebrated. They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish. They did processions around the church,’ Mendoza recalled. The church near Quechula was built by a group of monks headed by Friar Bartolome de l...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ten Safety Tips when driving in the Rain

The Federal Road Safety Corps has reminded all motorists and other road users to be cautious on the roads as the rainy season has set in. This is to ensure sanity on the highways during the season even as the Corps also harps on the need for strict compliance with traffic rules and regulations among road users especially during this period. According to the FRSC’s Public Education Officer, Corps Commander Imoh Etuk, the corps was concerned over the attitude of many drivers. However, here are a few tips to drive safely during this period according to wikiHow ; 1. Keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times! Keep all distractions, such as cell phones or even the radio, off and away from you. While focus to your front do Take a Look in Back View Mirror as well Right Hand side & Left Hand side so that you get an 360 degree over view what is happening around any mud slide or falling tree, electric pole, hanging electrical wires , or in coming hazard etc 2....
1 comment
Read more