A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has been flown to Lagos for further treatment following his Friday shooting at a rally for the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Bamidele and five others were shot at the rally and he was immediately taken to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), where he underwent a five-hour surgery to remove bullets lodged in his stomach and leg.
His media aide, Ahmed Salami, said in a Sunday statement that he was flown to Lagos for post-surgery treatment.
Salami also denied that his boss’s health had relapsed.
He disclosed that Bamidele was flown into Lagos on an air ambulance with registration number 5 N -BSW belonging to Flying Doctors Nigeria.
The statement read in part, “Though Bamidele ’s health has stabilised appreciably , there was the need for him to go for post-surgery treatments to ensure quick convalescence for him to be able to join Dr. Fayemi’s campaign train , of which he has been playing a pivotal role .
“We want to assure our teeming supporters to discountenance the misinformation by rumour peddlers that his health had relapsed .
“Dr . Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Aare Afe Babalola , Mr . Segun Oni , Prince Dayo Adeyeye , Dr. Wole Oluleye , Barrister Victor Kolade and several other bigwigs in the APC circle , including ordinary members of the party, were allowed access to him on the sickbed confirming the appreciable level of his stability before being allowed to be taken out of the state.”
The statement added that there would have been no need for Bamidele to be flown to Lagos if there had been adequate personnel and equipment as EKSUTH.
“As much as we salute the proficiency and commitments of the doctors in the hospital, let me also add that many of the consultants and equipment used in performing the surgery were hired from other hospitals.
“To forestall a situation whereby we have to rely on bringing equipment that was readily available in other hospitals down to Ekiti to treat him , we decided to shift him to such hospital to fast – track his recuperation,” the statement added.