"Deeply saddened": Politician collapses, dies in reconciliation meeting

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Mayowa Solomon, the APC chairman in Ijumu collapsed during a party reconciliation meeting in Iyara

- Mayowa was rushed to a hospital in Kabba after those present attempted to revive him at the Iyara Town Hall

- Kogi State APC chairman described Mayowa as a committed party member whose contributions would not be forgotten

Nigeria: The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, has died after collapsing during a party reconciliation meeting held on Friday, August 22, in Iyara, the council headquarters.

Mayowa fell during proceedings at the Iyara Town Hall, where party stakeholders had assembled at the invitation of Funsho Olumoko, a former chairman of the local government.

APC leaders react to Solomon's death

Kogi State APC Chairman Aliyu Ezzu confirmed Solomon's passing in a condolence statement, describing him as a dedicated party figure whose service to the APC in Ijumu LGA would be long remembered.

The Ijumu APC local government executives also issued a formal tribute, signed by secretary general Hon. Joshua Monday Oshatoba.

"It is with a deeply saddened heart and profound sense of loss that we, the executives of APC Ijumu Local Government, mourn the sudden and painful demise of our dear leader and Party Chairman, Hon. Mayowa Solomon Oyewole. 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," the statement said.

The statement described Solomon's death as devastating and called him "a committed party leader who served with dedication, courage, and a strong sense of responsibility."

"His death, coming while he was actively serving the party and working towards the forthcoming election, is a great loss not only to his immediate family but also to APC," the statement added.

According to the Punch Newspaper, attendees attempted to revive him before he was transported to a hospital in the neighbouring town of Kabba, where he was subsequently confirmed dead.

The medical cause of his collapse had not been officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report.

Reconciliation meeting that turned fatal

Legit reported that Olumoko had convened the gathering as part of efforts to mend divisions within the Ijumu APC ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The session was intended to bring together ward and local government executives, women and youth leaders, and government appointees drawn from all 15 wards in the council area.

The reconciliation drive came in the wake of tensions that had emerged at an earlier APC gathering in Iyara in August, where stakeholders met to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for re-election.

That meeting was reportedly disrupted by disagreements over the local government's leadership, with Mayowa and a number of other officials said to have walked out before it concluded.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.