Jesutega Onokpasa, a chieftain of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was never one to shy away from a fight. He died on Monday, June 9, 2025, but not without leaving an indelible mark on the country’s contemporary political discourse.
A trained lawyer and respected public affairs commentator, Onokpasa was known for his articulate arguments, fiery media appearances, and unflinching commitment to the APC, even at times when it cost him popularity. He straddled the worlds of law and politics with ease, earning him visibility and influence far beyond his home base in Delta State.
Rise to prominence
Onokpasa came into national prominence as a vocal supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and later, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His eloquent defenses of the APC’s policies made him a frequent guest on political talk shows, most notably on Arise News, where he once engaged in a viral, tense exchange with the host, an encounter that only deepened his notoriety and loyal following.
As a member of the APC’s Publicity Committee and the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Onokpasa helped shape the party’s messaging during a crucial electoral cycle. Within the party, he was known as a strategist and communicator who understood the media machine.
The turning point
But his loyalty was not blind.
Earlier this year, Onokpasa began voicing discontent with the Tinubu administration, citing what he described as “injustice against loyal party members.” In an interview that caught national attention, he warned that he might not support Tinubu’s reelection in 2027, a rare open rebuke from a man once counted among the president’s fiercest defenders.
He decried the economic hardship in the country, the worsening insecurity, and a political atmosphere he believed was alienating the very foot soldiers who had brought the APC to power.
“We stood by this party through thick and thin,” he said in one of his last public commentaries. “Now we are being left behind. That is not justice.”
His critics saw this shift as political posturing, but to many within and outside the APC, it revealed a man deeply invested in the integrity of the political process.
Death and tributes
Onokpasa’s death was confirmed on Tuesday morning through various social media tributes from party associates and political allies.
Okezie Atani, a pro-APC supporter on X, posted: “We lost Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
The APC’s diaspora arm, Renewed Hope United Kingdom, described his passing as “a profound loss to the Nigerian political and legal landscape.”
He is survived by his wife and children.
Even in death, his life poses a challenging question to his political peers: Will they honour his loyalty by heeding his final warning?
