Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost a prominent figure, Jesutega Onokpasa, who died on Monday at the age of 49. Onokpasa was a well-known lawyer, political commentator, and vocal defender of the party. His demise was announced on social media by fellow APC member Okezie Atani, who expressed condolences to his family, saying, “We lost Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa, may his soul rest in perfect peace”. Onokpasa leaves behind a wife and children.
Onokpasa was a key figure in the APC, serving on the party’s Publicity Committee and playing a significant role in the 2023 APC Presidential Campaign Council. Initially, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu, Onokpasa gained national attention for his heated exchanges with journalists, including Rufai Oseni on Arise News Channel, where he defended the Tinubu administration’s economic policies.
However, in a surprising turn of events earlier this year, Onokpasa publicly criticized President Tinubu’s administration, citing worsening insecurity, deepening economic hardship, and the government’s failure to recognize loyal party members. He even went as far as to say that Tinubu might end up as a one-term president if he didn’t improve his performance.
The circumstances surrounding Onokpasa’s death are yet to be disclosed, and tributes are pouring in from political associates, colleagues, and members of the public, many of whom are expressing shock over his passing.
