Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has attacked President Muhammadu Buhari for reneging on his pledge to re-open the files on murder of late Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, but instead went ahead by anointing Otunba Iyiola Omisore, who is the prime suspect in the case as the National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Omisore, a former deputy governor, last Saturday emerged as APC National Secretary during the party’s National Convention held at the Eagles Square, Abuja, the Federal Capital.
Soyinka’s reaction was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, titled: “Perhaps closed files should remain just that-Closed?” just as he recalled that President Buhari had in swift reaction, ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Alkali to re-open the case, and those of others for investigations.
He said this followed the call he made to him on the 20th anniversary of the murder of the late Attorney-General to remind Buhari of a subsisting election pledge, but sadly noted that the emergence and anointing of Omisore was coming barely just three months the call was made and the president’s swift order.
“That pledge was to re-open the files on the spate of unsolved political assassinations that had plagued the nation in recent decades. Prominent among those cases was that of the Minister of Justice, murdered on his way to take up a prestigious position with the United Nations.
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“Presidential response was swift. Buhari ordered the Inspector-General of Police to re-open those files and resume investigations. The nation has patiently awaited even a hint of Work in Progress. Most, I am certain, expect no less than a revaluation of prior investigative efforts. None, to my knowledge, has attempted to rush the Chief of Police and his team into judgment. We all take solace in the knowledge that the wheels of justice grind slowly, but they arrive. Eventually,” he said.
Soyinka, while expressing concern about the turn of events, raised some posers.
“With the emergence of the said prime suspect as national secretary of the ruling party, is the Inspector-General of Police equipped to confront political obstacles in a resumption of investigation? Is there any guarantee that the result will see the light of day? How suspect, ab initio, will be the conclusions, given the present political ordering?” Soyinka queried.
“I repeat: we are speaking of blatant, undeniable exercise of political interventions during investigations and the arraignment of suspects. Prior incumbency of the position of national secretary of a ruling party has demonstrated the potent interventionist clout that can be wielded from that office.
“The president has personally received, and thus anointed the new incumbent. Since he remains central to any re-investigation – whatever form or direction it takes – just what value of objective assessment can be placed on the presidential pledge?” he further queried.
This was just as the Nobel Laureate also recalled that it was the incidence that occasioned the death of wife of the late minister, Justice Atinuke Ige, noting that the prime suspect was privileged in a number of improper ways went beyond mere allegation.
“One was so brazen that it induced a heart attack that proved fatal to the victim’s wife, another Justice – Mrs. Atinuke Ige. That the prime suspect was privileged in a number of improper ways went beyond mere allegation.
“Political interventions, including pressure on the judiciary during bail hearings, cannot be denied. A judge under such pressure kept a diary with accusations, pages of which he consigned to friends for safekeeping,” he said.
Soyinka said with the new development it was better Nigerians forget about the pledge made by President Buhari to fish out the killers of the late Ige.
“I think the nation should simply relieve President Buhari of his pledge. I am certain the Inspector-General of Police will be equally relieved and can now turn his mind and energy to the national accustomed posture – Business as Usual,” he stated.
and then