Ekiti shootings: APC suspends campaign as aide says ‘Bamidele not in coma’

The All Progressives  Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, on Saturday, said it had suspended its governorship campaign  earlier scheduled to take off on Monday.
The suspension came as the police command in the state released the report of Friday’s shooting incident at the APC rally organised to welcome back to the state  its flagbearer in the July 14 governorship election, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
State Chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, told newsmen  in Ado-Ekiti that the postponement was due to the shooting incident.

According to Awe, the suspension will remain in place  until  the police can guarantee the safety  of Fayemi and other members of the party.
He insisted that Friday’s shooting was an attempt to take the life of Fayemi, with the bullet, however, hitting a former member of the House of Representatives,  Mr Opeyemi Bamidele.

Awe demanded  a thorough  investigation of the matter by the police while the outcome of the report  must be made public.
But the police command, in its  situation report released on Saturday by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Chukwuemeka,  said findings  revealed that what happened was a case of accidental discharge  on the part of a mobile police officer.
“On Friday, 1st June, 2018, at about 1700 hours, the policeman accidentally shot Opeyemi Bamidele and one other, but he has been arrested.
“He is attached to 20 PMF, Ikeja, Lagos State,  where he was posted on bank guard duties somewhere in Ikeja. The policeman came on illegal duty to Ekiti State.
“A politician, who conspired and removed the said policeman from where he was posted by his Squadron Commander and came to Ado-Ekiti  with him for an unofficial reason, has also been arrested.
“The victims of his accidental discharge are currently responding to treatment at the hospital, while the injured policeman is equally responding to treatment in  protective custody,’’ he  said.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant on Media to Bamidele, Ahmed Salami, has dispelled the insinuation that he had been in coma since Friday evening when he was hit by bullets at the rally.
Bamidele and six others were hit by bullets and sustained various degrees of injuries through gunshots fired by a policeman in the rally attended by a mammoth crowd of party adherents and admirers of Fayemi.
A statement in Ado-Ekiti by Salami, on Saturday, said though Bamidele immediately fell and passed out due to the trauma he suffered when the bullets suddenly pierced his abdominal region and leg, he has since regained consciousness.

“The way he fell in the full glare of the crowd and party supporters fuelled the insinuation that he is still in coma.
“Let me assure our supporters in Ekiti and other concerned Nigerians that Bamidele is not in coma. He has regained consciousness and fast recuperating due to prompt and intensive medical treatments he received thereafter.
“It is 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 was complicit to justice for a country that has respect for the sanctity of human lives to be attainable.
“Also, we’ll like to extend our gratitude to the medical team that battled to save his life. We specially appreciate the governor of Ondo State, 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”.