A senior aide to the late Ondo State politician, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye (OBA), has dismissed claims that the former governorship candidate suffered from depression or mental illness before his death, insisting that police investigations confirmed foul play.

In a statement released on December 16, 2025, Mr. Oyeniyi Iwakun, Akingboye’s Personal Assistant and Media Adviser, said recent public comments by members of the deceased’s family linking his death to mental health challenges were misleading and contradicted both his personal experience and official police findings.

Akingboye died in September 2025 at his Lagos residence under controversial circumstances. Iwakun said he first learned of the death on September 3 after failed attempts to reach his principal, with confirmation later coming from Akingboye’s eldest son.

He noted that reports of injuries on the body prompted an autopsy and intensified public concern. According to the aide, multiple and conflicting explanations were given by family members regarding how the politician died, prompting him to travel to Lagos to seek clarity.

He said the matter was later transferred to the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti. Iwakun disclosed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police subsequently confirmed in a media interview that a case of murder had been established, adding that some immediate family members and domestic staff were being investigated and “had a case to answer.”

Reacting to claims that Akingboye suffered from depression, bipolar disorder or psychological distress linked to politics, Iwakun said he worked closely with the politician for years and never observed any mental instability.

“He was mentally alert, active, charismatic and deeply involved in politics, business and public life until his death,” he said. Iwakun described Akingboye’s over 40-year political career as one marked by resilience, noting that he remained optimistic and forward-looking despite electoral losses.

He called on the public to focus on the police investigation rather than speculation, stressing that the central issue remains identifying those responsible for Akingboye’s death. “The question is simple: who murdered OBA, and why?” he said, adding that justice must be served.