Former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, has vehemently denied allegations made by ex-Osun State Governor, Bisi Akande, linking him to the unresolved murder case of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Bola Ige.
In a statement, Ladoja described Akande’s claims as “false” and “misleading,” emphasizing that he never obstructed justice in the case and had provided full support to the prosecution, which went up to the Supreme Court.
Akande had recently sparked controversy with his claims, made in an interview with veteran broadcaster, Edmund Obilo, suggesting that Ladoja might have vital information about Ige’s assassination. He also lamented that key figures who could have provided insights, such as former Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina, had passed away.
Ladoja, who served as governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2006, pointed out that he assumed office 18 months after Ige’s assassination on December 23, 2001. “Chief Bola Ige was assassinated December 23rd, 2001, I got to government on 29th of May, 2003 which was 18 months after the assassination of Chief Bola Ige,” he said.
“I didn’t withdraw the case, my government didn’t withdraw any case, the case was even prosecuted till apex court, Chief Akande lied against me, this is not the first time people said he lied, someone like Baba Adebanjo even said he lied in his book,” Ladoja added.
He warned that he would consider all possible actions, including legal steps, unless Akande retracts his statement and issues a public apology. “We are not all happy as a result of Chief Bola Ige’s death, and we are all concerned about his death, I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while alive,” Ladoja said.
Efforts to reach Akande for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.