THE distribution of the palliatives to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidies by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government has inadvertently generated ripples in Ondo State as one of the commissioners in the state, Dr Mrs Bunmi Osadahun, was beaten to a pulp at the weekend.
It was gathered that the state government rolled out the palliatives for the residents of Arigidi-Akoko, in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the state, while the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Osadahun, who hailed from the area, was attacked by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
A fight broke out when some leaders of the APC from Arigidi-Akoko alleged that the exercise was shrouded in secrecy by government officials and kicked against the arrangement, alleging the Commissioner of marginalising them in the sharing of palliative.
Mrs Osadahun was seen in a video circulating on social media exchanging altercations with a man, who attacked her with a chair.
A source from the community explained that Olumide Awolumate, said to be a Ward Chairman of the party in Arigidi, in Akoko North-West, was present during the distribution of the palliatives in the council, but that nobody knew what transpired between the two of them which later degenerated to physical attack.
He said that there was an inequitable distribution of palliatives, which many people have been complaining about while some residents boycotted the exercise.
The source said: “The man was trying to smash the chair on the Commissioner’s head while Osadahun was inflicted with wounds on her face and head.
“Immediately this happened, some young boys loyal to the commissioner also descended on the attacker and dealt with him.”
But another source disclosed that Awolumate had promised to embarrass the Commissioner for daring to remove his name from the beneficiaries of the palliative of the federal government.
The source further said that the Commissioner was injured with noticeable bruises on her face and body and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
But in another video, the man who was alleged to have attacked the Commissioner, Awolumate, explained, “I was assaulted in my house by the power-drunk Commissioner for Women Affairs with her son in the presence of a police officer.
“Today, I was in my house relaxing when the Commissioner came with her son, one other boy, and a police officer.
“The police officer told me they needed my attention at the station in Oke-Agbe, and before I could respond, the Commissioner pounced on me, tore my clothes, and the Commissioner also joined in beating me.
“The Police officer is still here, and I have resisted arrest, and I don’t know why they had to descend on me to hand me such treatment.”
The female Commissioner was said to have reported the incident to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area.
However, all attempts to speak with Mrs Osadahun were unsuccessful, but her daughter, Dr. (Mrs.) Jumoke Bakare said that her mother has since been hospitalised following the attack.
She said, “My mother is in the hospital; she can’t talk with you now. She’s resting.”
Also, one of her aides, who craved anonymity, said Mrs Osadahun had been advised to take a rest at the hospital and that she would respond to questions when she is fit.
Meanwhile, the state government and the ruling party in the state had not responded to the issue.
It will be recalled that the state government last week flagged off the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable households in the state, with commissioners leading the distribution in their respective local governments.
The state Commissioner for Information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, had assured that the food palliative would reach the targeted beneficiaries, saying about 1,200 bags of rice would be distributed to 6,000 households in the council area.
She disclosed that religious groups, market women, and traders associations, among others, would benefit from the palliatives and not party affairs.
Eighteen-Eleven Media