A former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele is now in stable condition after he was shot by a policeman on Friday.
The Mobile Policeman (MOPOL) shot Bamidele and five other All Progressives Congress members at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti at the governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his entourage were leaving the place.
Fayemi, his wife, Bisi, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and other senior party figures escaped death in the shooting incident.
Sources learnt that an emergency surgery was performed on him to remove the bullet lodged in his body.
Five other party members who received gunshot wounds are also responding to treatment.
The Special Assistant on Media, Ahmed Salami, said on his Facebook page and WhatsApp group post that his boss is now in a stable condition.
Salami said: “Thank God Almighty…Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (M.O.B.) is fast recuperating; Bullet removed!
“He is in a stable condition.”
This is the Full text:
The Special Assistant on Media to Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (M.O.B.), Ahmed Salami, has dispelled the insinuation that his boss had been in a coma since Friday evening after he was hit by bullets at the rally organized for Dr Kayode Fayemi, by the party.
Bamidele and six others were hit by bullets and sustained various degrees of injuries through gunshots fired by a policeman drafted to maintain orderliness in the rally attended by a mammoth crowd of party adherents and admirers of the governorship candidate of the party.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti by his Media Aide, Ahmed Salami on Saturday, he admitted that Bamidele immediately fell and passed out due to the trauma he suffered when the bullets suddenly pierced his abdominal region and leg.
“We appreciate his supporters and APC members across the state. He has since regained consciousness.
“The way he fell in the full glare of the crowd and party supporters fueled the insinuation that he is still in a coma.
“Let me assure our supporters in Ekiti and other concerned Nigerians that Bamidele is not in a coma. He has regained consciousness and fasts recuperating due to prompt and intensive medical treatments he received thereafter.
“It’s true that Bamidele has passed through major surgeries and the bullets have been removed from his abdominal region and leg. We implore our supporters to be calm and be law abiding whilst the situation is under control.
“We appreciate our people for the outpouring of affections since the incident occurred and this underscored the strong bond of unity among the APC members and Ekiti people in general.
“We want to say that the shooting was very unfortunate and unwarranted in view of the decorous and peaceful ways our people comported themselves from Akure, Ondo State capital via Ikere and to Ado Ekiti.
“We charge the police authorities to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the shooting and bring whoever that is a complicit injustice.
“We especially appreciate the governor of Ondo State, Barrister Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Ayo Arise and other party bigwigs for the quick responses in saving Bamidele’s life and that of other victims.”
