Kashamu: I’m shocked that Jonathan presided over a meeting that disregarded court ruling

Buruji Kashamu, senator representing Ogun east, says he was shocked that former President Goodluck Jonathan could preside over a meeting that “disregarded” the court of appeal judgement which upheld Ali Modu Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Kashamu said Sheriff did not disrespect Jonathan by walking out of the stakeholders meeting that held on Thursday.

He said that Sheriff was only angry that he was not regarded as chairman of the party.

“I am honestly shocked and surprised that the former president could preside over a meeting where the judgment of the court of appeal was being disregarded as irrelevant,” he said.

“This cannot be the face of a party that is desirous of seeking a break with the past. Going by the accounts of what I have heard happened at the meeting, I think it was a needless gathering that has reopened healing wounds and further exacerbated the crisis. How could you gather over 400 people for a reconciliation meeting and expect any meaningful deliberations?

“I say this because any PDP meeting that fails to recognise what our laws and the courts have said about the leadership crisis is on a wrong footing and premise, and it will breed more chaos and confusion such as we have seen.

“Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is the national chairman of the PDP as of today based on the court of appeal judgment and everybody is bound to abide by that whether we like it or not. You cannot call a shareholders or board of directors meeting and say the chairman of the board cannot participate or preside over the meeting.

“Would the governors have allowed it if they got to the meeting and they were not so recognised? Or were they not addressed as governors even when their elections were being challenged in court? Worse still, some persons said Senator Sheriff must not be recognised as such even when an appellate court has established that Senator Sheriff is the national chairman of the party.”

Kashamu also alleged that Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti was an agent of “destabilisation” in the party.

He said the party was like a barracks “where soldiers come and go, and the barracks remains.”

“I had always known that Fayose has an agenda and alerted our leaders and elders to his agenda of either having his way or destroying the PDP before he leaves for God knows where,” he said.

“Now that he is letting the cat out of the bag, I can only say that Fayose has exposed himself.

“He has shown that he is the real agent of destabilisation. He is one of those who want to kill the PDP before he defects. However, it should be clearly pointed out that PDP was not founded because of Fayose or any of us. Whether anyone leaves or not, the party will remain. It will not die.

“The truth of the matter is that the leadership crisis in the PDP was designed and orchestrated because of the inordinate ambition of some people, especially those who are exiting office next year.”

Kashamu said he believed that “governor Seriake Dickson’s committee had given us the road map for peace in the party”.

“Our respected party leaders should be elder statesmen in their actions in private and in public. We need their strength of character, courage, forthrightness and sincerity of purpose at this crucial time. We do not need some charlatans who were nothing before they became governors; who when stripped of the office become bare and empty,” the senator said.