APC leader claims self-defense in clash with Ondo commissioner
APC leader claims self-defense in clash with Ondo commissioner
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akoko North West Ward 1, Olumide Awolumate, has provided an explanation for the incident in which he confronted the Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Bunmi Osadahun, with a chair.
Awolumate claimed that he acted in self-defense and criticized the viral video, asserting that it had been edited.
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Speaking to journalists in Akure, Awolumate stated that the commissioner, accompanied by her son, a police officer, and others, had come to his residence with the intention of arresting him.
The APC leader clarified that he did not resist arrest, but rather, it was the commissioner’s son who initiated physical aggression against him, with his mother subsequently joining in the altercation.
Awolumate explained, “What happened is that we had a meeting at the local government level, at the house of a leader, Pa Akeju, we talked about the party, in which the Commissioner for Woman Affairs talked about the palliatives that were distributed some time ago.
“The commissioner said palliatives had been given to different sectors, and at that juncture, I raised my hand as the ward chairman of the party that the ten bags that were supposed to be in my custody did not get to me. I noted that some groups had been given, which include, PDP, artisans and that ours should be sent to me.
“I raised this in the presence of all the leaders of the party, and the commissioner objected to this, saying she was the head of that committee at the state level, but I objected to my non-inclusion in the sharing of the palliative, as I was not invited.
“This led to an argument and I was prevailed upon to leave the meeting but I was home with my family playing a ludo game when I saw the commissioner in the company of her son and the police officer.
“Her son pounced on me from behind and started hitting me, but I could not sit and fold my arms to allow him to hit me in the presence of my own wife, children, and friends. I stood up and fought him back, as I was fighting him, the commissioner joined her son and fought me too.
“To my surprise, I started seeing a video circulating, anybody that studies the video would see it has been doctored and edited, it was so short, it was a planned work, they knew what they were coming to do in my house, they have arranged for somebody to video the scene, I never expected something of such”.