The Special Assistant on Media to Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, Ahmed Salami, has disclosed that his principal has been moved to Lagos for treatment as a follow up to the surgeries he undertook for the gunshot wounds he sustained during a rally organized for Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Friday.
At the welcome rally organized by the All Progressives Congress for its governorship candidate for the July 14 election, Bamidele and five other persons were shot among the crowd when a policeman mishandled his riffle and released sporadic gunshots into the crowd.
Bamidele, who was hit in the stomach and legs, was immediately taken to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti for prompt emergency medicare.
Bamidele was flown to Lagos aboard an Air Ambulance Chopper with registration number 5N-BSW belonging to Flying Doctors Nigeria, which landed at about 3.05pm at Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti metropolis.
Though, Bamidele’s health has stabilised appreciably, but there was the need for him to go for post-surgery treatments to ensure quick convalescence for him to be able to join Dr. Fayemi’s campaign train, of which he has been playing a pivotal role.
Salami said: We want to assure our teeming supporters to discountenance the misinformation by rumour peddlers that his health had relapsed, saying he was in a stable condition and people were already having unfettered access to him at EKSUTH before he left for Lagos.
@Dr. Fayemi and his wife Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Aare Afe Babalola, Engr. Segun Oni, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Dr. Wole Oluleye, Barrister Victor Kolade and several other bigwigs in APC circle including ordinary members of his party were allowed access to him on the sick bed confirming the appreciable level of his stability before being allowed to be taken out of the state.
“Let me put on records that his being taken to Lagos was caused by gross dearth of equipment and personnel at EKSUTH.
“As much as we salute the proficiency and commitments of the Doctors in the hospital, let me also add that many of the consultants and equipment used in performing the surgery were hired from other hospitals.
“To forestall a situation whereby we have to rely on bringing equipment that were readily available in other hospitals down to Ekiti to treat him, we decided to shift him to such hospital to fasttrack his recuperation.”
… Fayose declares 3 days fasting, prayers
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has called for three days of fasting and prayer for the All Progressives Congress former governorship aspirant, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, and others that were hit by bullets fired by a trigger happy policeman at the APC secretariat on Friday.
The governor, who also directed the suspension of all open campaign activities of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State for three days, demanded that those found culpable in the invasion of the State with illegal policemen that were involved in the shootings must be brought to book.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said though he was glad that Bamidele was responding to treatment, it was necessary that Ekiti people should support him and others with prayers.
Fayose said: “Our doctors can only try; it is only God that heals. Therefore, it is important at this point for all of us in Ekiti to go to God in prayers so that He can heal our brother and friend, Opeyemi Bamidele and others who sustained injuries on Friday.
“At this point, it is immaterial the political party that he belongs to, what is important is the life of an Ekiti son and I pray that God will touch Opeyemi Bamidele with His healing hands.
“Most importantly, Opeyemi Bamidele is a man that I have great respect for and since he has now been airlifted out of Ekiti for further treatment elsewhere, all we can do is to pray for him.”
While urging politicians in the State to shun violence, the governor said the people should learn from the sad incidence and shun politics of violence.
He said: “We must all shun violence and stop this mindset of coming to oppress the people of Ekiti with federal might. Those planning violence must be mindful of the fact that one can only know the beginning of violence, not the end.”
Fayose said the perpetrators of the shootings must be brought to book, adding: “The matter must not be swept under the carpet just because those involved are APC chieftains.”
