National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has demanded from Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka why he is linking him with the assassination of former Attorney General of the Federal, Chief James Ajibola Ige.
Omisore, in a statement on Monday, accused the world respected author and playwright of being used by those he described as “drowning politicians” to fight their battle.
He said a court of the land had acquitted him of involvement in the killing demanding why he is still linked with it.
“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 professor to ask his cousin, OBJ for the murder,” the statement said.
In the freshness of Ige’s assassination, Soyinka had described the Peoples Democratic Party-led government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as “nest of killers.”
Soyinka, had on the occasion of the 20th remembrance of Ige, had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reopen the case file insisting that there were foul plays in the judicial handling of the celebrated murder case.
Just last week, Soyinka came out fuming at the emergence of Omisore as the National Secretary of the APC fuming that his election by the ruling party had put paid to any expectation of justice over the matter.
“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.
He said: “It is part of history and we are not too young, when we read of him, that professor too carried a gun into a Radio station; a criminal offense against the state. Yet, we continue to honour him.
“Can we also forget that Prof was appointed the chairman of education summit that gave birth to a single uniform for all secondary and primary schools and Opon Imo, during the tenure of Rauf Aregesola as governor of Osun State. A failed Education Policy that history will not readily forget.
“So, at 88, it’s better for him to stay clear of politics and not allow drowning politicians to use him to fight a cause he knows nothing about. It is a subtle warning to the respected Nobel Laureate.”
Saying that if the court had discharged him, it is mere propaganda for anyone to further link him with the case.
Omisore said: “The recent volte face of Soyinka on the Bola Ige matter gives one a cause for concern. First, I was not a member of cabinet in Obasanjo’s government and second, a court of competent jurisdiction had set me and others free after a grueling 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.”