A People’s Party (PDP) chieftain in Ekiti State, Mrs Bola Owolabi, has been hospitalized following a facial injury she sustained during an attack from a party member at a ward meeting in Ado Ekiti.
Mrs Owolabi aka Afidipote was allegedly attacked by Tosin Adebayo, an aide to former Ado Ekiti Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ayodeji Ogunsakin, at Ado Ekiti Ward 9 meeting on Monday.
A party source who was at the meeting disclosed that Adebayo smashed the face of the women leader with a wooden turning stick known locally as “omo orogun” during the meeting.
InfoStride News gathered that the fisticuffs may not be unconnected to the differences in the choice of governorship candidates between the two chieftains.
Adebayo supports the governorship ambition of Chief Bisi Kolawole, who is the preferred candidate of former Governor Ayodele Fayose, while Owolabi supports the ambition of former Deputy Governor, Prof Olusola Eleka, InfoStride News can report.
Former LG chairman, Ogunsakin, Adebayo’s direct boss, is the Director of Administration and Strategy of Bisi Kolawole Campaign Organisation and he is also from Ward 9 where the incident happened.
The case as reliably gathered, has been reported at the Okesa Police Station and the state office of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) for investigation.
Attempt to speak with the women leader on Wednesday was not successful as she was said to be receiving treatment and not in any mood to speak with our reporter.
A party member who craved anonymity said Adebayo attacked Owolabi for saying that she was surprised at his appearance at the ward meeting at a time he was supposed to be mourning his sister who died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash.
Another party member who said the woman’s remark was not enough for her to suffer brutality from Adebayo said the attack stemmed from internal division in the party over which aspirant to support for the governorship nomination.
“The attack on the woman emanated from her support for Eleka which Tosin (Adebayo) is not comfortable with because he and Ogunsakin are in support of Bisi K (Kolawole).
“The woman was one of the party members who attended the wedding of the son of Eleka in Ilorin recently contrary to the order given by Fayose that nobody should attend.
“They have been trying to suspend her from the party because of her resolve to abide by her principle but as the women leader in the ward, when has attending a wedding of a party leader’s son become an offence?
“The matter has been reported to the police and FIDA people. While we are hoping for her recovery, the investigations are ongoing and we won’t allow it to be swept under the carpet because it can happen to anybody,” the source said.
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