Adebisi Onanuga
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr. Bayo Dayo, has said the former senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, should either flow with the wind of reconciliation blowing across the party or be left in the cold.
Dayo, an engineer, told reporters in Abeokuta on Thursday that Kashamu should know that the era of acting as the ‘sole proprietor’ or ‘defacto owner’ of Ogun PDP had gone for good.
He said that they were already charting a new course of action where “the party will be owned and controlled by the people and not just an individual.”
Dayo, who was reacting to reports of his suspension as the chairman of the party by some members of the executive, said: “These people are only doing paid jobs for their master, Sen. Buruji Kashamu.”
He described his purported removal as height of illegality, null and void.
Dayo said as the chairman, he is a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP, adding that no organ of the party except the national leadership can discipline him.
The Ijebu-Igbo born politician said that he remained Ogun PDP chairman, noting that he was being attacked by Buruji’s loyalists because the senator had told him to back off from his ongoing reconciliation with the Ladi Adebutu group in a bid to unite Ogun PDP and end the 10-year old needless crisis.
He said: “What actually happened was that I wrote a letter to the lawyer representing the party, debriefing him. I told him that we would no longer need his service because the other group under Ladi Adebutu had reached out to us for reconciliation, and the negotiation is ongoing.
“We have agreed to share the positions of the party between the two groups in the coming congress.
“However, when Sen. Buruji heard from the party’s lawyer that I have debriefed him based on the ongoing reconciliation, he called me to back off, but I told him that time has come to reason with ourselves and unite the party.
“I said it is only a fool that will continue to do same thing same way and expect different result. I told him that our losses in 2011, 2015 and 2019 were because of this division and needless in fighting, which we must bury once and for all.
“I told him that a good leader, who cares for his followers, cannot continue to run a one man show, but Sen. Kashamu will want none of this. He even sent some emissaries to me to sign a document for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that we have conducted the congress, but I refused.
“Who could have done anything of such during this lockdown?”
Read Also: Why Dayo was removed as Ogun PDP chair, by Kashamu
Dayo added: ”It was because I insisted that it was about time peace reigned in Ogun PDP that Sen. Buruji ordered his boys to be writing all manners of falsehood about me.
“God knows that I never collected a dime from anyone. I just want the best for this party. I have been in it since it was founded.
“Sen. Kashamu should, however, note that it is either he embraces the reconciliation moves or be left in the cold. PDP is greater than an individual.”
Leave a Reply