Kashamu Berates Mu’azu For Attempting To Impose Dimeji Bankole On Ogun PDP

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election Sunday, November 30th, 2014

By Ayo Balogun

All appears not moving smoothly in the Ogun State Chapter of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as one of its prominent National Chieftain, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has dispelled the rumour on postponement and cancellation of the party’s State House of Assembly primary election and accuses its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu of causing disaffection in the State’s branch.

Prince Kashamu who made this accusation Sunday at a press conference, affirmed that Akeem Animasaun and Dave Salako were only playing out a script, written for them by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, in a spirited attempt to foist on the party, former House Speaker, Dimeji Bankole as the State’s Governorship candidate.

The Chieftain who is also the ruling PDP’s Chairman, Organisation and Mobilization Committee, (South West), stated contrary to the instigated speculation, the chapter did not receive any “contrary directive either through a letter or a publication” that the State House of Assembly primary election should not be held.

“Therefore, we wish to urge our teeming supporters and members in Ogun State to ignore any rumour making the rounds that the primary election has been cancelled or postponed.

“The rumour is being peddled by the former Speaker Dimeji Bankole group in its desperate bid to foist him on the good people of Ogun State.

“There are eleven governorship aspirants in Ogun State. If the all-powerful National Chairman and the National Organizing Secretary are willing to accommodate the fake 700 delegates list compiled by Dimeji Bankole at Protea Hotel, Apo, Abuja, then they should be ready to take the same amount of forms from the other aspirants too” Kashamu challenged.

If this happened, the PDP strongman held that the intruders would end up weaken the party with internal squabbles and pave the way for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) “to win in not just Ogun State but elsewhere in the South West”.

Prince Kashamu also warned that any attempt to change the authentic delegates list (the CTC of which already obtained from INEC and PDP National Headquarters) would result into serious litigation and justify that Mu’azu and Mustapha did not wish success for the PDP in Ogun State, adding that the chapter has attached its Counsel letter to the party headquarters, in Abuja.

The enraged PDP party stalwart berated the two national leaders – Muazu and Mustapha, asserting that both have conducted themselves in ways that were inimical to the stability and growth of the PDP in Ogun State by trying to impose former Speaker Bankole on the party.

While making reference to the just concluded exercise, the PDP South West Head of Mobilization explained that the chapter successfully held its Ward and Local Government Congresses, which were witnessed by the Committee members sent from the National Headquarters, INEC, Police and the State Security Service (SSS) while it obtained the Certified True Copies (CTC) of the delegates list from INEC and the National Secretariat of the party.

He added it was after that the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) met and approved the congresses, with the exception of Lagos, Oyo and Cross River states which were rescheduled and had since been held.

Prince Kashamu also told newsmen that the NWC also met over the preparations for the State House of Assembly primary election and approved the list of the committee members, which he indicated was published in two national dailies on Friday, 28th November, 2014.

He attacked the PDP National Chairman and its National Organizing Secretary that anytime NWC took a decision, both always tried to reverse it as if they were superior to others, confirming “they always carry on as if their decision is above the NWC’s”, whereas it was not, he retorted.

In the meantime, Kashamu informed that given their recent antics, the State Chapter of the ruling PDP was left with no other option than to approach the court.

“Already, a court order, which says, it is only the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee that can submit the list of delegates and candidates to the PDP and INEC, has been served on the National Secretariat of our party. The court went on to say that anything short of that would be a nullity” he declared.

He added that the court action was in line with Part VI, Article 25, sub section a of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2012), which says “There shall be a State Congress which shall consist of the State Chairman who shall be the Chairman”, insisting that the State Assembly Congress “has been successfully held in line with the NWC’s decision”.