BY ABIODUN NEJO
Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Friday shot at a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Adedeji, along Ado Ekiti – Akure Road.
The lawmaker, who was travelling to Akure, the Ondo State capital, when the incident happened, has been hospitalized at Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI).
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker was one of the legislators that took part in the removal, a fortnight ago, of the former Speaker, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, and subsequent election of an All Progressives Congress (APC) colleague, Hon Adeniran Alagbada, as new speaker.
He was said to be shot at in the head following which he was rushed to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), where he was admitted at the Accident and Emergency unit for intensive medicare before referral to FETHI.
One of the staff at EKSUTH told journalists at the Accident and Emergency Unit that the lawmaker had been referred to FETHI.
The staff said: “He had been transferred to Ido Ekiti. The bullets hit him in the head and he would have to undergo neurosurgery as soon as possible”.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Segun Adewumi, said in Ado Ekiti on Friday that Adedeji, representing Ekiti Southwest Constituency II was shot in the head.
Adewumi said that the lawmaker was attacked on the road by the gunmen and was shot while trying the to escape the scene by putting his car in reverse.
He said: “When he was accosted on the way, the lawmaker wanted to flee the scene by putting his car on reverse gear to another direction, but these evil men opened fire on his vehicle and the bullets hit him on the head.
“He was immediately taken to hospital in Ado Ekiti where he received emergency treatment”, he said.
It would be recalled that Adedeji once had problem with the former Governor Ayodele Fayose and the Oluwawole-led Assembly prior to the PDP governorship primary over his closeness to the Senator representing Ekiti South district, Mrs Biodun Olujimi.
Olujimi backed the former Minister of Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye in the primary against Fayose’s preferred candidate and former Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.
The lawmaker narrowly escaped being hammered with suspension, but his punishment was commuted to tendering of apologies to the former governor, which he did at the house’s parliamentary session.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, said the incident has not been brought to his notice.
“We have not been officially briefed, but when we have the information, we shall act appropriately”, he said.
