Bola Ige: Ladoja threatens to sue Akande over murder claims

Mr. Rasidi Ladoja, former Governor of Oyo State, has threatened to take legal action against a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, over his remark on the people behind the killing of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the late Chief Bola Ige.

Ige was brutally assassinated by yet-to-be identified assassins at his Bodija home on December 23, 2001.

Previous administrations in the country are yet to unravel the mystery surrounding his death.

News Band reported that Akande during an exclusive interview with an Ibadan-based radio station, queried Ladoja over the rationale behind his withdrawal of the case instituted on the matter by his predecessor in office, the late Chief Lam Adesina.

But while addressing newsmen at his residence on Ondo Street, Bodija, Ibadan, on Monday, Ladoja described Akande’s claims as baseless and defamatory.

He insisted that Akande retract the allegations and issue a formal apology or face legal action.

Ladoja stressed that such unfounded narratives tarnish his reputation and are unacceptable.

He said, “Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001 — 18 months before I got to the office. I got the government on May 29, 2003, and Chief Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001, which was 18 months before I got to office.

“I didn’t withdraw the case. My government didn’t withdraw any case. The case was even prosecuted up to the apex court. Chief Akande lied against me and he is old. This is not his first time. People say he lies; someone like Baba (Ayo) Adebanjo even said he lied in his book.

Further refuting Akande’s narrative, Ladoja said he had nothing to gain from suppressing the investigation in Ige’s murder, noting they were close during his lifetime.

He said, “We are not all happy about Ige’s death. We are all concerned about his death. I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while he was alive.

“I did nothing to harm the delivery of justice on the assassination case of Bola Ige. I didn’t withdraw the case. My government didn’t withdraw any case.

“I don’t know what information Baba Akande believes I could have that he didn’t have. All the information I also have was not different from what I heard from social media.

“If you look at the period the book itself was launched, the people close to Baba Akande, like Adebanjo, said Baba Akande lied in most of what he said in the book. I got that from the social media. Maybe this is one of the lies also, but unfortunately, he did not put it in the book. Maybe, he crumbled under the barrage of questions from Edmund Obilo, who interviewed him. Maybe Baba is getting too old to recollect what happened that time. I am saying emphatically that Baba Akande lied against me in his interview.”

Ladoja said instead of attempting to rope him into Ige’s murder narrative, Akande should be bold enough to tell the secret that he knows.

“The case was already in court before I came in. It was investigated. I was very close to Chief Bola Ige. In fact, when I was to contest in 1999, Chief Bola Ige had called me to come and contest before Lam Adesina was given the slot. How then would I know about his death and will not be the one shouting from the rooftop or why will I be happy that investigation into the murder should be suppressed?

“Instead of maligning me, Baba Akande, who said that there are many things he knows that he cannot tell the public, should be asked to disclose them. He said the murder was a state murder and that government was behind it. If he was governor of Osun State then but claimed he did not know who removed the cap from Bola Ige’s head, yet he could know what happened in Oyo State, then, he must be lying. He said Lam Adesina told him many things, which he would not want to disclose to the public because both Lam Adesina and Chief Bola Ige are dead. Then how does he justify his allegation if he cannot say it?”

Ladoja concluded by demanding a public apology from Akande, threatening that he would sue.

“All options will be taken, including legal action against Akande except he withdraws his statement and tenders a public apology,” Ladoja said.

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