Tragedy struck the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State on Friday when the Chairman of the party in Ijumu Local Government Area, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, reportedly slumped and died during a reconciliation meeting in Iyara.
Solomon was said to have collapsed while the meeting was underway at the Iyara Town Hall, the administrative headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area.
Attempts were made to provide first aid before he was rushed to a medical facility in neighbouring Kabba. However, he was reportedly pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The cause of his death had not been established as of the time of filing this report.
The meeting, convened by a former Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area, Funsho Olumoko, was aimed at resolving internal disagreements and harmonising political interests among APC stakeholders in the area.
The gathering brought together political leaders, local government and ward executives, women and youth leaders, as well as government appointees representing the 15 wards in Ijumu.
The reconciliation initiative followed an earlier stakeholders’ meeting in Iyara where APC members endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for second terms.
However, the earlier meeting reportedly ended in disagreement over local government leadership, resulting in a walkout by Solomon and some senior government officials.
Friday’s meeting was subsequently convened to bridge the differences and promote unity within the party ahead of future political engagements.
Solomon’s sudden death has cast a pall over the reconciliation efforts and raised concerns about the party’s ongoing attempts to strengthen its structure in Kogi West ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued by the APC state leadership or relevant local authorities on the incident.
