Shooting: Bamidele recuperating, not in coma, says aide

The Special Assistant on Media to Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (M.O.B.), Ahmed Salami has said there was no truth in story making the round that he had been in coma since Friday evening when 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 mammoth crowd of party adherents and admirers of the governorship candidate of the party.
In 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.

“We appreciate his supporters and APC members across the state, said he had 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 coma.

“Let me assure our supporters in Ekiti and other concerned Nigerians that Bamidele not in coma. He has regained consciousness and fast recuperating due to prompt and intensive medical treatments he received thereafter.

Its 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”, he said.

“We specially 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”.