The Commissioner of Women Affairs in Ondo State, Dr. Olubunmi Osadahun, was attacked over the weekend in the Arigidi Akoko area of the state during the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidies by the federal government.
MUK TV gathered that the commissioner was assaulted by some members of her party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the council area after it was alleged that the exercise was shrouded in secrecy by government officials.
In a video circulating on social media, a man believed to be the APC Chairman of the Area Council could be seen repeatedly hitting the commissioner with a blue chair.
As a result of the attack, the commissioner was badly wounded and was reportedly rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
An eyewitness account said that the man, who is a member of the party in Arigidi, in Akoko North West, was present during the ongoing distribution of palliatives in the council.
“We don’t know what transpired between him and the commissioner; we just saw him when he took one of the chairs and landed it on the head of the commissioner.
“A deep wound was inflicted on the head of the commissioner.
“Immediately after this happened, some young boys loyal to the commissioner also descended on the attacker and dealt with him.”
In an interview with Vanguard, Jumoke Bakare, the daughter of the attacked commissioner, confirmed that her mother had been hospitalized after the attack and was recuperating from the hospital.
It would be recalled that long before the federal government started rolling out the palliative materials to states for distribution, an economist and investment banker, Sir Mascot Uzor Kalu, had warned the government to refrain from replacing the fuel subsidy, which he said was a palliative itself, with another palliative.
The 2023 governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party, APP, in Abia State, had argued that the humongous amount of money allotted for the palliatives should have been better invested in critical areas of the economy where it would have multiplier effects and get to the indigents to cushion the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidies.
A recent documentary by this online medium shows that despite the billions of naira President Bola Tinubu’s administration has spent on palliatives, most indigent Nigerians are still complaining about not receiving the palliative items since the distribution exercise started.
After the commencement of the exercise in Ondo State, the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the state cried out over alleged scams in the distribution of palliatives across the state.
They alleged that the exercise was shrouded in secrecy and uncertainty.
This was contained in a statement by the CSOs and signed by Franklin Oloniju, High Chief Pius Akomolafe, Alo Martins, Stella Ikeokwu, Emmanuel Daramola, and Bola Fasuyi, and made available to newsmen in Akure, the state capital.
According to them, “the coalition of civil society organizations in Ondo State strongly expresses its displeasure with the way and manner in which the Ondo State Government is going about the distribution of palliatives in the state.
“The process seems to be shrouded in secrecy and uncertainty.
“Following an emergency extraordinary meeting held on September 11, 2023, on the palliative distribution in the office of the Chairman Coalition of Civil Society in Akure, it was noticed that partiality and rent-seeking attitudes pervade the entire process.
“We are shocked that the absence of the Executive Governor, who was on medical leave, showed that the people he left were unable to effectively manage the process of palliative distribution transparently and inclusively.
“However, we are happy that with the Governor’s return, he will bring sanity back into the process immediately.
“It is instructive to note that the Ondo State Government initiated different groups and committees on the palliative issue in the state.
“One group was led by the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Mr. Gbenga Ale, and another group led by the Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Akinterinwa, promised the people of Ondo State that they would start receiving palliative care as of the first week of September 2023.
“Also, on the 5th of September, another group was inaugurated by the Acting Governor to manage the palliative up to the local government level in a bid to ensure equitable distribution; however, none of the groups mentioned has shown any appreciable headway in the palliative distribution to date.
“The CSO Coalition in Ondo State, by this press release, implores the Government of Ondo State to be transparent and accountable to the people of the state in this regard, as we are yet to know how the list of beneficiaries was generated, the amount to be paid, as well as the commodities received from the Federal Government for the people of the state.
“The CSO Coalition, which has also spread across the 18 LGAs in the state, seems to be in the dark on this palliative distribution, as was the case during the COVID-19 palliative distribution.
“We ask for inclusion, equity, and fair play in the interest of the poor masses who are languishing in abject poverty owing to the effect of subsidy removal.
They have therefore “appealed to the governor to step into this issue; our earnest prayer is that our amiable governor enjoys a long life in good health.
“We hope these government officials have not forgotten the impact of the EndSARS protest in the state, during which time the storehouse for COVID-19 palliative was broken into and items stored looted by angry youths.
The CSOs said, “We do not want a repeat of that incident.”
