30 SANs Warm Up for Soyinka Against Omisore Over Ige’s Assassination Case

There are indications that as many as 30 Senior Advocates of Nigeria have indicated interests to join the team of lawyers to defend Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka should the National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Iyiola Omisore make good his promise to drag him to court.
Omisore had threatened to sue Soyinka over his comments on his alleged involvement in the assassination of the Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.
Ige was killed in his residence in 2001 by some assailants after which Omisore and some of his associates were arrested and prosecuted.
Soyinka had last week criticised the APC after the emergence of Omisore as the National Secretary of the party saying that move effectively rubbished all promises by President Muhammadu Buhari to reopen the case file on Ige’s assassination.
Omisore queried Soyinka over his link to Ige’s death when a court had discharged him over the matter.
But Soyinka again responded at a press interaction on Thursday in Lagos when he dared Omisore to sue him to court.
He said maintained his stance that the APC erred by allowing Omisore to occupy such an important party position.
He said the impeached Deputy Governor of Osun could have been offered an ambassadorial position to Ukraine.
However, NPO Reports gathered that no fewer than 30 Senior Advocates of Nigeria have expressed interests to join the team of lawyers for Soyinka.
“As a matter of fact, it is now necessary for Omisore to go to that court and sue him because even if he backs down and it is a mere threat, Soyinka will indeed make case for the reopening of the case. And I can tell you that the offer to serve free is enormous. We are talking of Prof Wole Soyinka here,” a source close to some of the senior lawyers told the NPO Reports early Friday.
As a matter of fact, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, had joined Soyinka at his media interaction on Thursday to assure him that he will be one of those who would defend him.
It was also gathered another popular SAN, Solomon Asemota, purposely flew in from Abuja on Thursday to be part of the briefing as part of his readiness to be part of Soyinka’s legal team.
“As at close of yesterday (Thursday) we already about 20 SANs who had called in to express interests. I think many of them are incensed by the audacity the likes of Omisore have to haul insult insults at institutions such those Soyinka represents.
“That an Ige, as the number law officer of the country was killed and no one was found to be responsible, at least, legally is shame on the country. That some people were arrested, prosecuted and later discharged does not mean all avenues for getting justice have been closed. The case can be reopened,” the source said.
In his response, during the week, Omisore had asked Soyinka to ask his “cousin” referring to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who killed Ige.