Kashamu on PDP crisis: We are ready for genuine reconciliation

Buruji Kashamu, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun, says he is ready to reconcile and work with aggrieved members of the party in the state to ensure its success.

In a statement released on Thursday, Kashamu, who was the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections, called on all aggrieved members of the party to come together to forge a strong front.

“I have the mandate of all the altruistic leaders and elders of the party in Ogun State to declare once again that we are willing, ready and available for genuine reconciliation that will reposition our party and move it forward,” he said.

“Let me also publicly declare that I have no interest in any elective position, including the governorship and therefore have no reason to oppose the ambition of any member of the party aspiring to be governor of the state because I know that all powers belong to the Almighty Allah. My fight has always been against illegalities, injustice and imposition.”

The former senator also expressed his willingness to cooperate with national and zonal leaders of the party to strengthen the opposition party.

“It should also be borne in mind that the PDP as well as our respectable national and zonal leaders belong to all of us. While trying to protect our various interests, we may have roughened feathers in the past. But, that does not mean we cannot bury the hatchet and move ahead. As it is said, ‘to err is human and to forgive is divine’. Henceforth, we will all be attending meetings called by the national and zonal leadership of our party in order to forge a more united front.”

He described the allegations levelled against him by  Bayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo, the suspended state party chairman and secretary, as false.

He said having worked for the success of the party at the state, zonal and national levels, he could not now work against the interest of the party.

“It is most ludicrous that Engr. Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Sodipo who are parading themselves as genuine members of the Ogun State PDP Executive Committee recently suspended each other at different times. While the Dayo-led State Exco suspended Sodipo on the 28th of February, 2020; Sodipo and former members of the State Exco suspended Dayo on the 29th of February, 2020,” he said.

“Dayo’s suspension was even ratified by the South West Zonal Committee of our great Party on the 3rd of March, 2020. Afterwards, Dayo’s fate was literally sealed on the 26th of March, 2020 when he was suspended by the authentic State Executive Committee of our party – the same State Exco members that sat with him to suspend Sodipo in the first instance. How then can he now turn round to deny the same Exco?

“Indeed, Dayo in a letter dated 3rd of March, 2020 to TRLP Law firm, listed the names of the authentic Ogun State PDP Executive Committee. He also attached several letters which showed former state officers who either resigned to contest elections or left for another party and were subsequently replaced. Some of the letters were jointly signed by Dayo and Sodipo while others were signed by either of them. All these facts have been deposed to in affidavits filed in Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/24/2020 in a case instituted by Dayo (in his capacity as the then Chairman) alongside other members of the State Executive Committee.

“For Dayo, Sodipo and their co-travellers to be claiming that they are the authentic State Exco shows the level of their desperation, deceit and fraudulent tendencies which are geared towards causing chaos in Ogun State. This has now become a matter for investigation by the relevant security agencies.”