Gunmen shoot PDP lawmaker in Ekiti

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
By Gbenga Joseph, Ado Ekiti
A member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Adedeji, at the early hours of Friday was shot  by unknown gunmen while traveling to Akure, Ondo State capital.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker  was one of the legislators that partook in the removal of the former Speaker, Hon. Kola Oluwawole and subsequent election of an All Progressives Congress (APC) colleague, Hon Adeniran Alagbada, as the new occupant of the plum seat.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Segun Adewumi, revealed to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Friday that, Adedeji, representing Ekiti Southwest constituency II was shot in the head .
He said the lawmaker was immediately whisked to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH),  where he was admitted at the Accident and Emergency unit  for intensive medicare.
The legislator, who is of PDP extraction added that  the lawmaker was accosted on the road by the gunmen and was shot while trying  to escape the scene by putting his car in reverse.
“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.
When newsmen visited the Accident and Emergency Unit of EKSUTH at about 11.40am, one of the staff disclosed that the lawmaker had been referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Ido Ekiti.
“He had been transferred to Ado Ekiti. The bullets hit him in the head and he would have to undergo neurosurgery as soon as possible”.
The Deputy Speaker further revealed on telephone that the lawmaker has been taken to FETHI , where he would have access to  CT scanning of his head.
The lawmaker 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.
When called for confirmation, the 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.
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