August 4, 2013 by LEKE BAIYEWU
Chief Ayo Opadokun
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Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, Chief Ayo Opadokun, has said the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, a wife of the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, caused the shock that eventually killed a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Alao Aka-Bashorun.
While recounting what transpired when Kudirat was murdered, he said the late lawyer’s health began to deteriorate after he saw how Kudirat was gruesomely murdered.
Opadokun, also a former Secretary-General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, said Kudirat’s murder shocked members of NADECO.
“The way Abacha’s murderers terminated the life of that distinguished, beautiful lady, Kudirat Abiola, was unimaginable,” he said.
Describing those behind her killing as merciless, he said they never imagined such could happen. He added that it was the murder that made them to realise how difficult the situation had become.
Opadokun said, “I tell you, one of our most important and credible leaders, when he saw her remains, never lived long thereafter. This elderly, senior colleague – my confidant – was totally out of himself when I saw him on his return from a medical trip abroad.
“He never survived it. I am talking of Chief Alao Aka-Basorun. He didn’t recover from it. When I came out of prison, because I was there when Kudirat was killed, he was already abroad receiving medication.” he said.
He decried the discharge and acquittal of the prime suspect in the Kudirat’s murder case, Maj. Hamza al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, by an appellate court.
While he called for further trial of the suspected murderers, he called the wrath of God on those responsible for Kudirat’s killing.
Opadokun said, “The blood of the people they killed will not allow them to rest. Like in the Shakespearean play, Macbeth, Macbeth murdered sleep and he slept no more until he himself faced death.
“I’m sure it’ll come at God’s own time. They can’t get away with it. They were so contemptuous of us. Somebody won a free and fair election and they denied him his victory. And because he pronounced himself as President, which he was legally competent to do, they went ahead to kill his wife and killed the husband later.
“It’s a heinous crime; it was very grave. I’m sorry; I have no apologies to make; the killers of MKO, Kudirat and Chief Bola Ige will never know peace again. No matter their temporary joy, really, their victory is Pyrrhic. It will soon turn out to shame and cry.”
Al-Mustapha, who had been sentenced to death on January 30, 2012, by a Lagos High Court over the murder, was on July 12, 2013, discharged and acquitted by the Lagos division of the Appeal Court.
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