WOMANIFESTO condemns assault of Ondo women affairs commissioner

A women’s rights group WOMANIFESTO has condemned in strong terms the physical assault of the Ondo Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Olubunmi Osadahun by the Chairman of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 1 Akoko North-West, Olumide Awolumate, popularly known as Cuba.

Awolumate was seen beating Hon Osadahun and hitting her with a chair in the presence of various witnesses, allegedly over the sharing of palliatives in a now viral video.

The group in a statement signed on behalf of women groups by Abiola Akiode-Afolabi noted that the unfortunate incident is a representation of the varying degrees of violence against women in Nigeria.

’The deepest disregard for women in Nigeria was displayed in public without any form of reservation or remorse. If a commissioner can be so assaulted, we can only imagine the gruesome forms of violence meted out to women around Mr Awolumate.

We would like to remind your respectable selves of section 355 of Crimninal Code Act of Nigeria which states that “any person who unlawfully assaults another and thereby does him harm, is guilty of felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years”. Furthermore, Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015) states clearly that “a person who willfully causes or inflicts physical injury on another person by means of any weapon, substance or object, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years.”

Dr Akiode-Afolabi expressed concern that there have been no statements from the Ondo State governor condemning this assault considering the fact that Ondo is one of the states that have domesticated the VAPP law.

While commending the police for the arrest of Mr Awolumate, stressed the need for his prosecution to the full extend of the law adding that anything short of that will not be accepted.