APC Mourns as Ijumu Chairman Slumps, Dies at Reconciliation Meeting

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State was thrown into mourning on Friday following the sudden death of its local government chairman, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon.
Solomon reportedly slumped while a peace and reconciliation meeting was underway at the Iyara Town Hall, the administrative headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area.
According to participants, the meeting was in progress when the APC leader suddenly collapsed, causing confusion, panic and grief among political leaders and delegates present.
Immediate efforts were made to assist him before he was rushed to a medical facility in neighbouring Kabba. However, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Efforts Toward Party Unity
The meeting was convened by Funsho Olumoko, a former chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area who was recently mandated by the Ijumu Consultative Forum to harmonise political interests in the area.
The session was aimed at reconciling factions, resolving internal disputes and promoting unity among party stakeholders ahead of future political engagements.
The peace initiative followed an earlier meeting in Iyara where APC stakeholders endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for second terms. That meeting, however, was marked by disagreements over local government leadership, leading to a walkout by Solomon and some top government officials.
Friday’s follow-up meeting was therefore designed to bridge the differences by bringing together selected political leaders, local government and ward executives, women and youth leaders, as well as government appointees representing all 15 wards in Ijumu Local Government Area.
Uncertainty Surrounding Future Reconciliation
Solomon’s sudden death has sent shockwaves across the political landscape of Kogi West and cast a shadow over ongoing efforts to unite APC members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of press time, the exact medical cause of his death had not been officially disclosed, while formal statements from the APC state executive and local authorities were still pending.

Source: Phoenix