Kashamu’s supporters dare PDP, organise rally for aspirants

Supporters of the expelled senator of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Buruji Kashamu, on Thursday dared the national leadership of the party, as they organised a rally in Ogun State, to present aspirants of the party in the forthcoming 2019 elections.

The rally took place at the party’s Ogun headquarters located along Presidential Boulevard in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital, with thousands of party members across the 20 local government areas in attendance.

Mr Kashamu, a senator representing Ogun East, has been having running battles with his party and was recently expelled alongside three other chieftains of the party in the state.

Mr Kashamu, a supporter of erstwhile national chairman of the PDP, Ali Sheriff, was expelled alongside Bayo Dayo, Segun Sarki and Sanimu Sodipo; all from Ogun State.

Mr Dayo was a factional chairman of the PDP in Ogun. He headed the faction of the party loyal to Mr Kashamu.

Mr Kashamu is wanted in the U.S. for drug-related offences. He has repeatedly claimed he is innocent and has resisted moves to extradite him.

In May, the appeal court ruled against Mr Kashamu, signifying a possibility he could be arrested, before extradition commences.

At the rally on Thursday, security operatives on ground faced a herculean task while controlling the large number of party supporters who stormed the secretariat with placards in support of the 69 aspirants eyeing various political offices at the next polls.

Mr Bayo, who was axed alongside Mr Kashamu, in his welcome speech, declared that he remains the authentic chairman of the party.

He said the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus ”was clownish in decision to suspend him and two others”.

”The Secondus leadership is insane to have suspended us. The leadership is criminal to have flouted the court judgment which affirmed me as the authentic chairman of the party in the state. There is one PDP in Ogun State (of) which I am the chairman,” he said.

He urged the police to arrest Mr Secondus and others, adding that, ‘his leadership is cash and carry. I am not a factional chairman. The only PDP in Ogun State is headed by me. We are the only constituted authority to present candidates for election, and we shall organise free and fair primaries”.