Tragedy struck the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State on Friday, August 21, 2026, when the party’s local government chairman, Hon. Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, slumped and died while participating in a peace and reconciliation meeting.
​The high-stakes meeting, which commenced during the day at the Iyara Town Hall, the headquarters of the local government area was convened by Funsho Olumoko, a former chairman of Ijumu LGA tasked by the Ijumu Consultative Forum to unify political factions ahead of upcoming political engagements.
The session brought together executive leaders, delegates, women leaders, and stakeholders representing all 15 wards of Ijumu LGA. Eyewitnesses reported that Solomon was actively taking part in the discussions when he suddenly collapsed, throwing the venue into immediate panic and confusion.
Meeting delegates administered first aid before hastily transporting him to a medical facility in neighboring Kabba, where medical personnel pronounced him dead shortly upon arrival. The exact cause of his collapse remains undisclosed.
​The tragic event follows recent internal political friction in the local council area. While stakeholders had recently met in Iyara to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for second terms, that earlier session experienced visible tension over local council leadership, during which the late chairman had walked out alongside other officials. Friday’s gathering was specifically aimed at mending those rifts.
The Kogi State APC Chairman, Aliyu Ezzu, issued an official condolence statement confirming Solomon’s death, describing him as a dedicated leader whose contributions to party stability in Ijumu would not be forgotten, while commiserating with Governor Usman Ododo and the family of the deceased.
In a statement signed by the APC General Secretary for Ijumu LGA, Joshua Oshatoba, the local executives expressed profound grief, noting, “The news of his passing has left us devastated and speechless. He was a committed party leader who served with dedication, courage, and a strong sense of responsibility.”
Former Kogi West Senator, Smart Adeyemi, shared his sorrow over the loss, calling Solomon “a dependable party man and, without exaggeration, the best chairman the APC has had in Ijumu Local Government Area,” while emphasizing the painful timing of his passing during critical party-building efforts.
​The sudden demise of Hon. Solomon has cast a heavy shadow of uncertainty over ongoing unification efforts within the Kogi West political landscape as the party mourns his loss.
