Give Onokpasa befitting burial, APC Support Groups tell FG, party

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups have called on the Federal Government and the party leadership to not only honour the late party chieftain, Barrister Jesutega Onokpasa, but also accord him a befitting burial in recognition of his sacrifices and loyalty to the party.

The call was made during a solemn candlelight procession held in his honour at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on Thursday night, where colleagues, associates, and loyalists gathered to pay tribute.

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Speaking to journalists at the event, the convener of the ceremony and National Coordinator of the National Progressives Hub, Hon. Bukkie Okangbe, described the late barrister as a rare gem and an invaluable asset to the APC.

Bukkie, in an emotionally ladened voice, said,“This is an emotional gathering, but we thank God for today. We don’t have much to say. We are not here to talk. We are just appealing to the party to make sure they do the needful and give him a befitting burial. As a family, we’ve been able to show him the love he deserves as a fellow comrade. We should be there for ourselves in times like this.

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“As we are mourning him, we are appealing to the government and the party to make sure they give him a befitting burial.”

Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Tinubu Support Group, Dr. Tanko Yakassai, praised the late Onokpasa’s tireless contributions to the APC and national politics.

According to him, “We have a party like the APC which is the biggest party in Nigeria and probably the biggest party in Africa. We have several people that have worked with the party and the late Barr. Jesutega was one of them. He was a very vibrant, very active and very energetic member of the party that worked for the success of the party in elections.

“Sometimes in politics, reward comes early in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening and sometimes it may even come the following day. Politics, when you are on it, is like when you go to the airport and you are on a conveyor belt at the beginning but it rolls slowly and takes you to the gate that you enter and re-embark on to your plane and you exit. And I strongly believe that it is God in His infinite mercy that knows why He took him before he could receive his reward here on earth but we never lose hope. If he had remained alive, he would have found his reward and I believe his reward would have been huge, something that is befitting.”

Also speaking, Spokesperson for the South East Youth Stakeholders Forum,Nwaorisa Gerald, described Onokpasa as a staunch party man who stood by the APC at great personal cost.

“Late Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa was my best friend, I see him as my elder brother. I am appealing to the government, and the party APC in general is that he deserves a befitting burial. Barrister toiled and labored for APC, waged war for APC, labeled and called all sorts of names because of APC.”

Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa passed away on Monday, June 9, after a prolonged illness at the age of 49. He was a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in 2023 and served on the party’s publicity committee.

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