Confusion deepened in Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party on Monday on
who is exactly the governorship candidate of the party: Senator Buruji
Kashamu or Oladipupo Adebutu?
Last Friday, the PDP National
Chairman, Uche Secondus presented the party’s flag to Adebutu and said
he is the authentic candidate of the party.
But 72 hours after,
Senator Buruji Kashamu, whose PDP faction of the Bayo Dayo-led faction
claims to be the authentic and legal PDP in the state also organised a
flag ceremony in Ijebu-Igbo, shown live on television.
Buruji and his running mate, Dr. Reuben Abati were presented to the crowd.
Abati
addressed the crowd and urged the supporters to support Buruji as the
PDP governorship candidate. He said Buruji would run a pro-masses,
pro-poor government.
The other faction of PDP headed by
Sikirullahi Ogundele roots for Oladipupo Adebutu, who was recognised by
the national body of PDP.
The Bayo-Dayo faction first submitted
Adeleke Shittu as the party’s governorship candidate, before
substituting him with Buruji Kashamu in November.
The electoral
umpire in accepting the list submitted by Dayo faction cited subsisting
court judgments which recognised the faction.
This was also the crux of the riposte of Buruji to Uche Secondus, following the latter’s recognition of Adebutu.
“As
the National Chairman of an opposition and pan-Nigeria political party,
Prince Secondus is supposed to be a leader and the alter ego of the
PDP. Thus, there is a presupposition that he would project the best that
PDP represents. It is not for him to continue carry on as a serial
contemnor through consistent disobedience of subsisting court judgments
under the guise of party supremacy. He cannot continue to act as if the
party is not guided by its own constitution and the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is surprising that while the
leaders and elders of the party as well as its presidential candidate
who believe in the Rule of Law have advised the national leadership of
our party to toe the path of honour, Secondus and his co-travellers
decided to go the inglorious way of impunity and disregard for
constituted authorities – in a desperate bid to accomplish the mercenary
job they have been paid to do.
“By their conduct, they are
telling Nigerians and members of the PDP that the Party belongs to them
and they can do whatever pleases them. They are saying they are the
Alpha and Omega of the Party; and that they are more powerful than the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They have always done
this to people. But, I want to make it abundantly clear that, on behalf
of all the cheated and oppressed members of the party, we will fight for
our rights till the last.”
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