The representative for Ado-Odo Ota Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Tunji Akinosi, has strongly refuted claims of assaulting a policeman during the 2023 Iganmode Day celebration held last Saturday.
Responding to a viral video circulating online, Akinosi asserted that the footage in question was edited and did not accurately depict the events that transpired at the occasion.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Akinosi clarified that he pushed the police officer in question due to the latter’s alleged disrespect towards the state’s Deputy Governor and threats made against Akinosi himself. He maintained that the viral video misrepresented the incident and accused political opponents of attempting to tarnish his reputation.
According to Akinosi, the police officer, identified as M. Yusuf, was assigned to Senator Yayi and not the Deputy Governor. Akinosi claimed that he intervened in response to Officer M. Yusuf’s disrespectful behavior towards the Deputy Governor, stating that the officer had earlier assaulted the Deputy Governor’s aide, Kola Salako, and others in the Deputy Governor’s entourage.
Akinosi portrayed his interaction with Officer M. Yusuf as an attempt at reconciliation, highlighting that the officer’s rudeness and derogatory statements led to the confrontation. He emphasized that the alleged assault accusation was part of a broader strategy by political adversaries to undermine him ahead of upcoming political developments in Ogun State.
In his statement, Akinosi decried the spread of unverified news by purported journalists on unknown platforms, emphasizing his commitment to serving his constituents in the House of Representatives without distraction.
“Akinosi is a responsible member of the House of Representatives who is working hard to fulfill his campaign promises to thousands of his constituents and he shall not be distracted,” the statement concluded.