The senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, yesterday insisted that he is the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
He urged the party’s National Chairman Uche Secondus not to elevate party supremacy above the Judiciary.
Kashamu said he and his running mate, Dr. Reuben Abati, are the candidates of the people for the governorship poll in Ogun State.
He said the ticket was the expressed wishes of the people, which, he added, was equally affirmed by the courts.
The senator, who stated this while addressing thousands of party supporters in Ijebu-Igbo, the headquarters of Ijebu North Local Government Area, after he was unveiled by the Dayo Bayo-led arm of the Ogun State PDP as the party’s governorship candidate, admitted that the party is supreme but “it is not superior to the Judiciary”.
According to him, nobody should continue to act in contempt of the teeming members, leaders, elders of the party and the courts in the name of “party supremacy”.
Kashamu, who also extended his hands of fellowship to every member of the party – the agreeable and disagreeable ones – assured of his readiness, ability and willingness to work with everyone in the overall interest of the PDP.
He said: “Politics is like a game of chess: it is full of intrigues, ups and downs. But the mammoth crowd you have seen here says it all. We would not be distracted. We are focused on our Mission of Taking Ogun State to Greater Heights.
“I am a grassroots politician; a proud Ijebu man and a good citizen of Ogun State who is loved by the people.
“By the grace of the Almighty Allah, I am an entrepreneur; an employer of labour with several years of experience in business and human resources management.
“In 2015, when I contested to represent the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District, I promised selfless representation. That is what I have given.
“And there is no better proof than the over 90 projects we have attracted to various parts of Ogun East Senatorial District. They are the firsts among equals. No one has that record in our senatorial district.
“As you are aware, I have also touched many lives and communities outside Ogun East and Ogun State through the Omoilu Foundation.
“This aspiration affords me yet another opportunity to continue to touch lives in diverse ways and on a bigger plane.
“Since government is a continuum, I believe we would continue from where the current government stops and, together, we would take our dear Ogun State to greater heights.
“As presented by my running mate, Dr. Reuben Abati, we have a blueprint that outlines our programmes and policies, if you vote us as your governor and deputy governor on March 2, 2019. Will you vote for us?…”
But the PDP yesterday described Kashamu as a clown who is desperate to destabilise the party.
A statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan described as the height of ridicule, the senator’s purported presentation of himself as Ogun State governorship candidate of the party.
Last week, the PDP presented its governorship flag for Ogun State to a House of Representatives member, Mr Ladi Adebutu, recognising him as the party’s candidate for the state.
The statement said: “Senator Buruji, in his forced hallucination, has failed to realise that Nigerians, particularly the voters in Ogun State, have seen through his antics; they know that he is not the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State; they know that he has a pact with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the PDP; they also know that he is a clown on a journey to nowhere.
“Nigerians are aware that Senator Buruji never purchased PDP nomination form; never participated in our governorship primary or in any process related to nomination of governorship candidate of our party or any position whatsoever.
“Those using Senator Buruji as their agent have turned him into an object of public ridicule, particularly in his charade of organising a rally to hand a fake flag to himself.
“The PDP, therefore, urges the people of Ogun State to completely disregard Senator Buruji as a clown and continue in their support for the PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, who is already coasting to victory.”
“This is your sure ticket for Taking Ogun State to Greater Heights. The Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State Exco is the only authentic and legally recognised PDP structure in the state. The people have spoken; the courts have affirmed it and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has complied.
“Truly, the party is supreme. But it is not superior to the Judiciary. People cannot continue to act in contempt of the teeming members, leaders and elders of the party and the courts – all in the name of ‘party supremacy’.
“At some point, like in saner climes, the Judiciary must intervene and rein in those acting in utter disregard of our party’s constitution and the laws of the land. That is what has happened in our case.
“The national leadership of our party supervised and approved the congresses that produced the Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco in 2016.
“There have been several court judgments that affirmed the validity of the State Exco under the leadership of Adebayo Dayo.
“In the build-up to the 2019 general elections, congresses were conducted by the Dayo-led State Exco, in line with Section 25 (1) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), which states that ‘There shall be a State Party Congress which shall consist of: (a) The State Chairman, who shall be the Chairman’. Section 25 (2c) states further, ‘The functions of the State Congress shall be to: (c) Elect governorship candidates of the Party’.
“That is all we have done. So, if anyone decides to go and collect a flag in an office in Abuja, it does not bother us. They say they are the candidates of the party.
“We say we are the candidates of the people and the Rule of Law. As the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State, I extend my hands of fellowship to all and sundry. I am ready, able and willing to work with everyone in the overall interest of our party.
“My dear good people of Ogun State, I am your son, your servant and a true representative of the people. I am willing, ready and able to serve you. I urge you to elect me, Alaanu Mekunnu (Benefactor of the Poor) as your governor. Mine will be a people-oriented government.”
