By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja
Senator Smart Adeyemi has expressed deep shock and grief over the sudden death of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, who slumped and died yesterday during a reconciliation meeting in Iyara.
Senator Adeyemi, on Friday, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja, described the death as painful, shocking and devastating, saying the deceased was a young, energetic and committed party leader whose contribution to the growth and stability of the APC in Ijumu would be difficult to replace.
According to him, Solomon’s death was not only a personal tragedy to his family, but also a great loss to the entire APC family in Ijumu, Kogi State and beyond, coming at a time when his energy and leadership were needed most in strengthening the party.
“I received the news of the sudden death of our dear brother and party chairman, Hon. Mayowa Solomon, with profound shock and disbelief. It was one of those painful calls that leaves you speechless.
“Mayowa was young, energetic, committed and deeply passionate about the progress of our party and his people. To me, he was not just an APC chairman; he was a dependable party man and, without exaggeration, the best chairman the APC has had in Ijumu Local Government Area.
“The circumstances of his death have left me deeply disturbed. I had a sleepless night trying to come to terms with the reality that a young man full of life and energy could leave us so suddenly while attending a meeting meant to promote peace, reconciliation and unity within our party.”
Adeyemi said the incident had raised a serious concern about the health and wellbeing of political actors who routinely participate in lengthy and emotionally demanding meetings.
He therefore called on the national leadership of the APC and other political parties, as well as organisers of high-level political meetings, to introduce compulsory routine medical screening for participants, particularly blood pressure checks, before the commencement of such meetings.
“We must learn from this painful incident. Political meetings, particularly high-level reconciliation meetings, can sometimes be prolonged and physically and emotionally demanding. We cannot continue to assume that everyone who walks into such meetings is medically fit to participate for hours.
“I am therefore calling on the national party hierarchy to consider, as a matter of urgency, the introduction of compulsory basic medical checks, especially blood pressure tests, before major party meetings. Where anyone is discovered to have a serious medical condition or is medically unfit at that particular moment, such a person should be allowed to excuse himself from the meeting and seek immediate medical attention.
“This is not about politics. It is about preserving lives. No political meeting, no matter how important, is more important than the life of a party member. It is unimaginable, the pain and agony his wife and children will be at the present time.”
The former Senator also expressed concern that Solomon’s death was coming after another similar tragedy in Ijumu Local Government Area, recalling the death of former Commissioner for Special Duties, Yahaya Adesayo Ismail who also slumped and died in January 2024.
“It is particularly disturbing that we are witnessing another tragedy of this nature in Ijumu. We should not simply mourn and move on. We must ask ourselves what lessons can be learnt and what preventive measures can be put in place to avoid another loss of this nature,” he said.
Adeyemi commiserated with Solomon’s immediate family, relatives, friends, political associates and the entire APC family in Ijumu, praying God to grant them the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
“May God Almighty grant his soul eternal rest and give his family, particularly his wife, children and loved ones, the strength to bear this heartbreaking loss.
“May the APC family in Ijumu also find the courage to move forward despite this painful vacuum. We have lost a young man who still had so much to give. His death is a painful reminder that life must always come before politics.”
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