Jesutega Onokpasa, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has passed away.
The well-known lawyer and political analyst reportedly died on Monday.
His death was announced on Tuesday via social media by Okezie Atani, a staunch supporter of the APC, who shared the news on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
“We lost Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa, may his soul rest in perfect peace,” Atani posted, confirming the passing of the respected commentator, who is survived by his wife and children.
A Facebook page named Renewed Hope United Kingdom also paid tribute to the late APC stalwart in a post titled “A Farewell to a Passionate Advocate: Honouring Jesutega Onokpasa’s Legacy.” The tribute praised his dedication to Nigeria’s political and legal discourse.
“The passing of Barrister Jesutega Onokpasa is a profound loss to the Nigerian political and legal landscape. As a dedicated lawyer and political commentator, he was deeply engaged in shaping discourse and advocating for his beliefs,” the post read.
It went on to highlight his service as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and the APC Publicity Committee in 2023, emphasising his commitment to the party and national development. Onokpasa was a familiar voice in Nigeria’s democratic conversation, known for his passionate defence of the Bola Tinubu administration during media appearances.
He gained some prominence when he had a blowout with show host, Rufai Oseni, during one of his appearances on Arise TV. They exchanged some hot words, and he referred to Oseni as rude.
He recently fell out with President Tinubu, complaining that life was getting more difficult for an average Nigerian.
He also complained that the president was not paying attention to his old loyalists, preferring to listen to new friends, many of whom crossed from other parties into the APC.
In his last appearances on the same TV station, he spoke against Tinubu and suggested that he might not support him for a second term on the basis of his performance.
His cause of death has not been disclosed as of the time of this report.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen,” the tribute concluded.
