The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State has suspended the ward chairman of the party in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Olumide Awolumate, for reportedly beating the state’s Commissioner for Woman Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Juliana Osadahun.
As reported by MUK TV, the embattled chairman was seen in a viral video unleashing an onslaught against the commissioner for suspecting secrecy in the distribution of palliatives in Arigidi Akoko on Sunday.
The commissioner was inflicted with injuries to her head as a result of the assault and was consequently hospitalized.
Speaking with The Punch on the incident, on Monday, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, expressed his bitterness over the alleged attack on the commissioner and stated that the party had sat on the matter on Monday.
According to him, the leadership of the party had met and discussed the incident, and it had been decided that Awolumate should be suspended from the party.
He said, “The party will not tolerate any indiscipline. Such an act is an act I condemn in its entirety, and then the party has met on it and the chairman of that ward has been suspended. How can you beat a woman? I don’t tolerate it, please. Let it be very loud and clear. No matter the offense of that honorable commissioner, the party must respect a woman.
“Our party is noted for welfarism; you can check with all the local governments; there is nowhere the party was involved in this thing. So, the man has been sanctioned.”
In the same vein, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, said in a statement that the state commissioner of police, Mr. Asabi Abiodun, has condemned the attack and called for an investigation into the incident.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the commissioner, who was in the Akoko area to see to the distribution of said palliatives, was attacked by the assailant named Awolumate Olumide while having a meeting with some of their party members in the area.
“The CP has ordered that a thorough investigation be carried out and the case transferred to the SCID (State Criminal Investigation Department), Akure, for further probe into what led to the assault.”
