The brutal murder in the early hours of Friday December, 18 2015 along Lagos – Ibadan express way, of Madam Adedeji Tosin (Kofoworola) is the latest in the spate of political killings in the country since the alliance of the New PDP, ACN, CPC , ANPP and some minor political parties of the progressive movement.
This latest gruesome murder of Madam Kofoworola a grass root politician of the All Progressive Congress who is also accused of working for Chieftain of the People Democratic Party a strong political force of the Lagos State PDP Candidate brings to the fore the major threat to the successful conduct of a free and fair 2016 elections in the country.
This is particularly so because Madam Adedeji Tosin who is the Vice Chairperson of the Alimosho-Ikotun women in politics movement (AIWPM), is the anchor and one of the chief strategists of political parties who desire to win elections in Lagos south west senatorial district and the governorship election considering the population and electoral culture of Alimosho –Ikotun voters.
Although several other Nigerians have been murdered in such gruesome manner as Madam Kofo’s, her own, happening at the run off to the general elections in the country and in succession to two other political killings of women in politics .The last few weeks assassination of women active in politics in Rivers state, in the Niger Delta and Imo state Eastern Nigeria, will no doubt give cause for concern as to the possibility of holding a hitch-free polls in Nigeria adding the insurgency in the North East and the continuous attacks and killings in Benue communities in the North Central Nigerian by Fulani Herdsmen.
Renowned as a grassroots leader, Madam Kofo is also a very close friend, classmate and associate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) main challenger, Chief Adeola S.O Yayi , who is the senatorial candidate of the APC.
This makes it the more curious that Madam Adedeji Tosin (aka Kofoworola Bucknor) was murdered barely few weeks after the APC inaugurated its senatorial campaign committee.
The spate at which women is politics is being hounded, harassed and assassinated is worrisome. On Monday March 3, 2013 Mrs. Emily Ojuolape Okemope (aka Thatcher) an AD member died at the UCH Ibadan after an acid attack by unknown persons.
All the more worrisome is the seeming helplessness of the Nigeria police force, which is still yet to unravel the killers of many prominent Nigerians, including the country’s chief law officer, Chief Bola Ige, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, about 14 years after he was murdered in his residence.
It is against this backdrop that many have posited that these spate of killings in the face of a seemingly helpless police, are posers to what the February 2016 polls could deliver.
Unfortunately media practitioners have no interest in conducting investigative journalism to unravel the mysteries of several killings can be linked to unwarranted arrest ,torture or assassination of such journalist a good example is Dele Giwa. The murder of the founding editor of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, on October 19, 1986 can be said to have triggered a boom of high profile murders which are yet to be unraveled by the police. The colourful and celebrated journalist died via a parcel bomb which was said to be connected to his professional style of investigative journalism.
Another pen pusher and Assistant News Editor of TheGuardian Newspapers, Bayo Ohu, was also killed, leaving law enforcement agencies guessing ‘who did it’.
Other professionals are not left out in the harvest of death by assassination. AYO DARAMOLA Former World Bank consultant, Dr. Ayo Daramola, was also murdered in 2006. The police are still investigating the murder.
ABAYOMI OGUNDEJI. Another ThisDay journalist, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, was murdered on August 17, 2008. Though the police are alleging armed robbery, those who know better are insisting that his death may have been politically motivated
CHARLES NSIEGBE . Again, on November 21, 2009, another politician, this time a political associate of Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Charles Nsiegbe, was wasted in the street of Port Harcourt.
DIPO DINA . The circle was upped again on Monday, January 25, 2010, as suspected assassins shot and killed Otunba Dipo Dina. The late politician was the AC governorship candidate in 2007, popularly called DD-Direct, the accountant met his death around Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.
From Dimgba Igwe murder in Lagos, Steve Nwosu in Lagos to Chukwudozie Nwachukwu and Okechukwu in Abia State, Nwabueze Ugwu in Imo, Odunayo Olagbaju Osogbo, Momoh Lawal in Kogi, Barnabas Igwe, Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and his wife, Abigail Igwe, Dele Arojo, PDP guber aspirant, killed by unknown assailants in Lagos, Mr. Theodore A. Agwatu,in Imo, Janet Oladape in Odigbo and many more.
The question, as the police are investigating the death is, who is the next victim?
