Bayelsa APC stalwart Inokoba, slumps, dies in Lagos

Col. Sam Inokoba

Col. Sam Inokoba

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Col. Sam Inokoba
Col. Sam Inokoba

Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokoba (retd) who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 10 August, has slumped and died in Lagos on Wednesday while on a private visit to his family.

Inokoba, aged 67, was reported to have procured his Expression of Intent and Nomination Forms at the APC secretariat in Abuja to contest the Governorship election primaries of the party.

According to his son, Waripamo Inokoba, “my father slumped at about 2 am (in the early hours of Wednesday) and was confirmed dead before he was taken to the hospital. Some of our people are on their way to Lagos to bring back his corpse.”

The Inokoba family, in a statement signed by the late politician’s elder brother, Clee Inokoba and first son, Waripamowei Inokoba, confirmed the incident.

Political associates and family members claimed the Inokoba may have died of food poisoning, while others claimed that his health was frail and should have gone on a deserved holiday devoid of political activities.

One of the early sympathizers that visited Inokoba’s home and a former member of the State House of Assembly, Indutimi Komonibo, in his condolence message written in a register stated: “You are a great loss to us. Hard to believe. But no one can question God.”

Also in his condolence message, a former Guardian Newspaper staff and former Special Adviser on media during the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the state, Dickson Ageda, described Inokoba’s death as “shocking”.

He wrote:”A painful exit. God knows best. May Your Soul rest in Peace.”

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The Bayelsa State Government also expressed shock over Inokoba’s demise.

According to the statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso, “the death of Retired Colonel Inokoba is sad and a painful loss to the state.

“He will greatly be missed by his family and close associates especially the Political Class. We pray that God grant the family the fortitude with which to bear the irreparable loss as well as grant his soul eternal rest. We assure the family of the government’s preparedness to support and participate in the rites of passage for the late Col. Inokoba.”

In his condolence massage, the former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, described Inokoba as a great community leader and an intelligent politician whose contributions to society will be missed by the whole Bayelsa and, indeed, Nigeria.

The former Governor in a statement issued via e-mail, by his Media Adviser, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, said Wednesday’s death of Inokoba had left a vacuum that would be impossible to fill.

Sylva, who is also the state’s APC leader, stated: “the news of the death of Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd) was a terrible shock to me, my family, and the entire All Progressives Congress family both in Bayelsa State and Nigeria, in general. We share the grief of his family and friends.

“Inokoba was not only close to me, personally, but as a new convert to the current change agenda in Bayelsa State, we shared dreams of a better state, thoughts about the challenges ahead, and regrets about the condition of things in our state. He leaves a vacuum that can never be filled. His intellect, political sagacity, insight, and passion for the state, the Ijaw nation, and Nigeria, generally, were wonderful qualities that we cherished.

Inokoba, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bayelsa State Chairman, defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) about a fortnight ago alongside more than 1000 PDP members.

He had slumped during the last PDP Presidential rally in Yenagoa and was also reported to have eaten a wrong food during a town hall meeting of the APC in Nembe and vomited.

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