Senator Smart Adeyemi has called for compulsory medical screening at major political meetings following the sudden death of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon.
Solomon reportedly slumped and died on Thursday during a reconciliation meeting in Iyara. In a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja on Friday, Adeyemi described the incident as painful and devastating, noting the deceased’s contributions to the APC in Ijumu. The former senator said Solomon was a young and committed party leader whose loss would be difficult for the party and his community to replace.
“I received the news of the sudden death of our dear brother and party chairman, Hon. Mayowa Solomon, with profound shock and disbelief. It was one of those painful calls that leaves you speechless.
“Mayowa was young, energetic, committed and deeply passionate about the progress of our party and his people. To me, he was not just an APC chairman; he was a dependable party man and, without exaggeration, the best chairman the APC has had in Ijumu Local Government Area.”
Adeyemi said the circumstances surrounding Solomon’s death had raised concerns about the health and wellbeing of political participants who attend lengthy and demanding meetings. He subsequently urged the national leadership of the APC and other political parties to consider introducing APC medical checks and similar screenings before major political gatherings.
“We must learn from this painful incident. Political meetings, particularly high-level reconciliation meetings, can sometimes be prolonged and physically and emotionally demanding. We cannot continue to assume that everyone who walks into such meetings is medically fit to participate for hours,” he said.
Adeyemi specifically called for basic medical assessments, particularly blood pressure checks, before major party meetings.
“I am therefore calling on the national party hierarchy to consider, as a matter of urgency, the introduction of compulsory basic medical checks, especially blood pressure tests, before major party meetings. Where anyone is discovered to have a serious medical condition or is medically unfit at that particular moment, such a person should be allowed to excuse himself from the meeting and seek immediate medical attention.”
“This is not about politics. It is about preserving lives. No political meeting, no matter how important, is more important than the life of a party member.”
The former senator also recalled the death of former Commissioner for Special Duties, Yahaya Adesayo Ismail, who reportedly slumped and died in January 2024 in Ijumu.
“It is particularly disturbing that we are witnessing another tragedy of this nature in Ijumu. We should not simply mourn and move on. We must ask ourselves what lessons can be learnt and what preventive measures can be put in place to avoid another loss of this nature,” he said.
Adeyemi commiserated with Solomon’s wife, children, relatives, friends and political associates, as well as the APC family in Ijumu. He prayed for the repose of Solomon’s soul and urged the party to find strength to cope with the loss.
“His death is a painful reminder that life must always come before politics,” Adeyemi said.
