The Federal Government confirmed the death of the Minister when Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal received the body of the late Minister, that of his wife and son at the National Hospital in Abuja.
The SGF told reporters that the accident which claimed the life of the minister and his family occurred at about 3.00pm.
The Minister was said to have travelled to Kaduna to attend a church programme and was returning to Abuja when the accident occurred.
The SGF said: “I will like to confirm that at about 3 pm today, the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi was involved in a motor vehicle accident along Kaduna-Abuja road. In this accident, the minister lost his life, his son also lost his life and the wife also lost her life. It is a very sad day indeed for Nigerians.
“This thing has never happened and the President is in shock. All members of the Federal Executive Council are in shock and indeed, all Nigerians are in shock. We commiserate with Nigerians. The President wants us to extend his condolences to Nigerians, the people of Kogi and the immediate family of James Ocholi.
“Personally, I have known James Ocholi for more than 20 years. We have been friends both in politics and in Christian circle and I am indeed personally saddened that I cannot begin to express the grief that we all face.
“Now, the bodies have been recovered and deposited in the mortuary and we are waiting for the immediate family and the Kogi State Government for the next line of action. May God comfort all of us”.
Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige described the death as shocking, adding that he was overwhelmed with shock
The Minister in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Nwachukwu Ngige, described Ocholi as an “industrious servant of our dear.” In him, the Ministry of labour and Employment, lost such an invaluable intellectual.
“Personally, I lost a competent colleague and a friend. What a vanity this life is! What an emptiness; what a nothingness we are! I pray that God Almighty, Himself, the author of all creations would give eternal rest to Ocholi, his wife and son. What a sad day”
Senator Dino Melaye said: “I am shocked, I am still in shock and in pains. I spoke with him this morning and we agreed that we were going to have a chat when he comes back from Kaduna. We have lost somebody, we have lost a great Nigerian; we have lost an intellectual and lawyer. We have lost a great Kogite. I am shocked.”
The bodies of the late minister and his son whose name and age could not be confirmed arrived the National Hospital in a Federal Road Safety Corps ambulance with registration number AO1-637RS at about6.48pm and were deposited at the mortuary.
The ambulance was accompanied by another FRSC escort pick-up van with registration number A01 736RS.
The body of the. Minister’s wife who died later at the Doka Rural hospital along the Kaduna Abuja road also arrived the hospital at about 7.47 pm in a Kaduna state government ambulance with registration number BK563DKA. It was also received by the SGF
Scores of sympathisers were at the hospital. Road safety officials told our reporter that five of them were traveling in the Lexus SUV to Abuja when it had a tyre bust causing the vehicle to summersault several times.
Those at the National Hospital include Minister of Works, Housing and power, Babatunde Fashola, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello,Federal lawmakers as well as friends and relations of the minister.
Others were Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Dr. Jafaru Momoh, FCT Commissioner of Police, Minister of Environment Aisha Mohammed, among others.
END
Government officials & reckless convoys have become a norm but they forget that accidents and death have no respect for positions.
Please the excesses of these convoys should be curtailed to save the lives of these top personalities and families.
R.I.P Hon Minister!