The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded an independent investigation into the death of Ms. Mary Habila, who the party says died at the residence of the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, accusing the Tinubu administration of a pattern of shielding officials from accountability.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the party was “deeply disturbed” by what it called the unresolved circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
The party argued that when a citizen dies in the home of a serving cabinet minister, the matter “transcends private tragedy and becomes a question of public accountability,” and said only a thorough, transparent and independent probe could restore public confidence.
The ADC said the explanations offered so far had failed to address key questions, including the nature of Ms. Habila’s official assignment, why she was residing in the Minister’s private residence, the precise circumstances leading to her death, and what investigators had established to date. The party said these questions could only be answered “by facts and evidence, not assurances.”
It called for an investigation that is “completely removed from the control or influence of the Executive,” including a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of Ms Habila’s death and a public report of its findings, warning that anything less would “deepen public suspicion” in state institutions.
The party situated the case within what it described a recurring pattern under President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led government, alleging that serious allegations against administration officials are routinely met with efforts at political protection rather than independent scrutiny.
ADC claimed some appointees have remained in office despite scandals, and accused the administration of issuing statements that presume innocence before inquiries begin. It described this as a system of what it termed “scandal insurance” for senior officials.
The party said Senator Umahi should step aside from the office pending the conclusion of an independent investigation, arguing that a serving minister should not continue in office while what it called a “murder-related scandal” remains unresolved. It said if President Tinubu did not insist on this, Nigerians would conclude his administration had become what it termed a “Cabinet of Cover-ups.”
ADC extended condolences to Habila’s family, saying her family “deserves the truth” and that accountability should be treated as “the very foundation of public trust” rather than an inconvenience.
