Buhari, Apc Mourn Ocholi

BEVERLY HILLS, March 06, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) joined other Nigerians to mourn the late Minister for Labour (State), James Ocholi (SAN) together with his son, who all passed away in Abuja on March 6, 2016.

The deceased lost their lives in a car crash that occurred at Kilometre 57, along Kaduna-Abuja highway with the Minister and the son pronounced dead before the passing on of his wife who was in coma after the accident.

Update: Nigeria's Labour Minister, Ocholi, Son, Dead In Deadly Crash

President Buhari in a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the death of the Minister of State for Labour as untimely, regretting that Nigeria has lost a key component of the CHANGE agenda.

“Barrister Ocholi was an accomplished and patriotic Nigerian, who was keen to accept the call to service at a time his country needed him,” adding that in the few months he had been in office, the late minister of state had already begun to distinguish himself through his commitment and dedication to his portfolio.

President Buhari also condoled with the government and people of Kogi State, whom he described as having lost a distinguished and irreplaceable son. He prayed that God would comfort them and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

In a condolence message The APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni described the deaths as a monumental loss.

Buni in a statement signed by him said the late Ocholi who was the party’s former Deputy National Legal Adviser will be remembered for his selfless service to the country as minister, party, legal profession and his home state, Kogi.

While extending his condolences to the people and government of Kogi state, Buni prayed to Almighty God to grant Ocholi’s immediate family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

Born November 26, 1960, Mr. Ocholi was 55. He became Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007.

He was also the Chairman, Disciplinary Committee of the Abuja chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association.

In 2011, he was governorship aspirant in Kogi State on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Between 2013 and 2014, he was deputy national legal adviser of the APC.

Last year, he sought the APC gubernatorial ticket at the party's primary election, losing to the late Abubakar Audu. He was appointed minister in 2015.

Mr. Ocholi attended Ochaja Secondary School, and the University of Jos.

He graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1986 and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar the same year.

Story by David Oputah