Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) chieftain and senator representing Ogun East senatorial zone at the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu has been suspended by the National Caretaker Committee of the party.
The decision which was taken at 3am Saturday morning is said to be for a month.
The National convention of the party is expected to start Saturday morning , with the election of a new National chairman and other officers as the major highlight.
Further details later.
Ahead of Saturday’s national convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the senator representing Ogun-East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu has called on party delegates, leaders and stakeholders to reject candidates undergoing corruption trial at the various courts.
In a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, the senator warned that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was planning to arrest some of the candidates with corruption cases.
Kashamu said, “While it is true that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, our great party cannot afford to close its eyes to this potential threat.
“It is a no-brainer that if a national chairman with a corruption case is elected, the party will literally be put on trial with him.
“This is one avoidable risk that is too much to take. You can be sure that a corruption trial of the national chairman of an opposition party will come with a lot of bad publicity that will sound the death knell the party”.
Kashamu pleaded with delegates and stakeholders, particularly those from the Southeast, to support the quest by the Southwest to produce the national chairman in the interest of equity and justice.
“Our brothers and sisters from the Southeast need to be categorical now in support of the Southwest on the ongoing national chairmanship tussle between the Southwest and the Southsouth.
”The implication of this avoidable tussle is to make uncertain the settled Southeast vice-presidential quest in 2019. If the Southeast expectedly takes a principled stance in support of the Southwest, naturally as a reliable race in adherence to agreements, the Yoruba people would reciprocate without any prompting.
“What is currently happening is glaringly an orchestrated assault on the Southwest to end up with nothing in 2019, just like we did when our party was in power. This is a dangerously illogical political permutation for 2019 national elections”, the senator added.
Kashamu said without prejudice to the right of others to seek elective positions at the convention, he however said such should not be done at the expense of established norms and agreements.
The senator said, “Without prejudice to anybody’s right to aspire for party positions, it is an open secret that the PDP national chairmanship had been conceded to the Southwest pre-Port Harcourt convention.
“It was because of this that the other positions zoned to the Southwest are innocuous deputies to substantive offices except the National Treasurer.
“All these are because of the fact that the national chairmanship had already been conceded to the Southwest.
“It is in the light of the above that I wish to reiterate my call on our notable leaders, elders and delegates to put the interest of democracy and the future of our great party above any pecuniary interest or considerations. This is the time we have to rebrand our party and reposition it”.
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, has warned members against instituting frivolous court cases on the party’s decisions.
He singled out Ogun State as the only chapter that is going through crisis and accused the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, of fueling the crisis.
“We have constituted caretaker committees in seven states and all of them are working well. The crisis in only in Ogun chapter and it seems he (Kashamu) is the one fueling it,” Makarfi said.
Describing the trend as shameful, the party chairman said such actions would attract severe sanctions and urged members to toe the line of honour by abiding by the ruling of the Supreme Court that affirmed the present leadership of the PDP.
Speaking at the Abuja PDP secretariat while inaugurating the party’s caretaker committees for Osun and Adamawa States, Makarfi urged members to desist from taking the party to court at the slightest opportunity.
He said: “It is very unfortunate that some members are still rushing to court over party matters without following due process. This must stop forthwith, members should embrace peace, we are all members of the party and the interests of all party members will be protected
“From now on, going to court on party matters will be seriously resisted by the leadership. You must look inward for peaceful resolution of your grievances as contained in the party’s constitution.
“Anybody caught doing this or fueling unnecessary crisis in the party will be severely dealt with in line with the constitution of the party.
“Nobody is saying that you should not exercise your fundamental human rights, but in doing so, you should respect the constitution of the party
“Henceforth, we will come hard on those members in line with our party’s constitution. Those concerned should retrace their steps because a tree cannot make a forest.
Mr. Ishola Sarafadeen was appointed the caretaker committee chairman for Osun, while Alhaji Mohamned Imam emerged as caretaker committee chairman for the Adamawa chapter.
The senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, has said he has no hand in the attack on the Abuja home of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.
Kashamu, in a letter to Inspector-General of Police Idris Ibrahim, said “the less than clever attempt to link me with the alleged attack on Daniel’s residence is politically-motivated”.
He accused Daniel of raising the allegation to subvert due process and the rule of law in Ogun State “where he seeks to foist an illegal caretaker committee on the PDP in the state despite the subsisting and binding court judgment, which expressly states that the Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco – which I belong to – should remain in office till 2020.”
Kashamu said there was no better proof the petition was politically-motivated than his reference to the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s national leadership crisis.
He said: “The authentic PDP Exco in Ogun State, under the leadership of Dayo, has a final judgment and orders in its favour that are yet to be appealed, set aside or upturned. What is more, the orders and judgment are binding on the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which were parties in the suit.
”This cock-and-bull story of an attack is part of Daniel’s desperate bid to seek relevance, revive his dimming political career and hijack the structure of PDP in Ogun State.
“He merely wants to turn the heat on his perceived political opponent and perpetuate the illegal caretaker in Ogun State. He is afraid some genuine and concerned party members could resist the brazen illegality and disregard for the rule of law, which his actions represent being the arrowhead of the illegal caretaker committee despite being aware of the existence of the democratically-elected and the judicially approved Ogun State PDP Exco.
”It might interest you to note that as law-abiding citizens, instead of raising false alarm like Daniel, the Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco had written two letters dated August 14 and 15, 2017, to your office wherein your attention was drawn to the illegal acts of Daniel and his collaborators and how they could threaten the peace and lead to chaos in Ogun State, if not checked. A careful perusal of the two petitions and the attached documents would give you an insight into the undercurrents of this unfounded alarm.
”It was, therefore, a surprise to me when at 7p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017, my attention was drawn to the fact that Daniel, a known pathological liar wrote a petition against me and that the document was being circulated on the social media by his cyber team,” he said.
The senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, has rejected the composition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caretaker committee for the state’s chapter of the party.
In a statement released shortly after the Tunde Odanye- led caretaker committee was inaugurated by the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Kashamu said membership of the committee was one-sided.
The senator, who is a staunch supporter of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction, also said the inauguration of the committee was a slap on the judiciary.
He said the dissolved executive committee in the state had a court judgment in its favour and that had not been appealed by the national leadership of the party.
Kashamu said: “The action of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led NCC which derives its legitimacy from the court is not only an affront on the peace-loving leaders and members of our party in Ogun State, but also a most devastating slap on the judiciary.
“The caretaker committee is one-sided and made up of ex- Governor Gbenga Daniel’s nominees with the exception of the chairman. How then could these people be talking of reconciliation and harmonisation? Clearly, they are liars and deceivers.
“Having emerged from validly organised congress which was ratified by the 71st National Executive Committee, the NCC is aware of the valid and subsisting judgment in favour of the Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of the PDP in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/636/2016 which is yet to be appealed, set aside or upturned.
“Yet, it chose to continue on the path of impunity and lawlessness. I do not see how these people can reposition the party. They want to compound its problems.
“The Ogun State PDP executive under the leadership of Adebayo Dayo has binding court judgment and orders legitimising it as the duly and validly elected state executive until 2020.
“This clearly allows the Adebayo Dayo-led executive to remain in office and carry out all its due responsibilities and functions.
“The mere fact that the national convention has the powers to dissolve itself or even the party does not give anyone the powers to brush aside valid and subsisting court judgment.”
Senator Buruji Kashamu has denied involvement in the crisis rocking the Lagos State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of council elections in the state.
Kashamu was reacting to an allegation by a factional chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Moshood Salvador, who said he was partly responsible for the crisis rocking the chapter.
PDP candidates from the Salvador-led faction were not recognised for the election by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Austin Onyiokor, Kashamu, described the allegation as baseless.
The senator said he had not interfered with the affairs of the Lagos State chapter of the party and would never do that.
Kashamu advised Salvador and his supporters to take responsibility for the crisis as well as the failure of the party to secure victory in the state for the last 18years.
“Blaming me for something I know nothing about instead of taking responsibility is uncalled for,” he said.
NAN
It was a gathering of titans in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, last Saturday. It was, however, not for the purpose of the legendary clash of titans. Rather, the gathering was meant to be a convivial atmosphere as political heavyweights and other associates from the social scene converged for the 59th birthday of Senator Buruji Kashamu.
The jam-packed venue was filled with family members, friends and associates who came in droves to celebrate the big day with the controversial senator. On his part, Buruji, who represents Ogun East at the National Assembly, was all smiles as he weaved in and out of the crowd, sharing jokes and small talks with all and sundry.
As the head of Kabsal Group, a conglomerate with interests in automobile, property, oil and gas, hospitality and investment services, Buruji’s fame spreads as far as neighbouring Benin Republic. Hence the calibre of guests who flocked to Ijebu Igbo in honour of the titan politician.
The Senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, has faulted Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose’s position on the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kashamu, in an advertorial in this newspaper, said the Ekiti State governor was plotting to kill the party before defecting.
The senator said: “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.
“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 party is like a barracks, where soldiers come and go, and the barracks remains.
“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 picked holes in the reconciliation move of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“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. 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. 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. Worst still, some persons said Senator Sheriff must not be recognised as such even when an appellate court has established that Senator Sheriff is the party’s national chairman,” he said.
He said Sheriff did not disrespect Jonathan by walking out of the meeting.
“Senator Sheriff was out of the country when he was called by the former President and told of the meeting and he had to cut short his trip to attend the meeting.
“That is a sign of respect. Even when he arrived in the country, I understand that he went straight to the former President and they met over the modalities for the meeting, and it was agreed that four of them will address the meeting. That is, former President Jonathan, Senator Sheriff, the BoT Chairman and then Senator Makarfi.
“However, when he got there, he was not recognised as the party’s national chairman whereas others were recognised with their titles, including those who were no longer in office.”
A United State Appeals Court has upheld a ruling against Senator Buruji Kashamu who is facing drug related charges in America.
The court in a ruling on Monday said U.S agents’ attempt to arrest Kashamu in coordination with local authorities would not constitute “an attempted abduction.”
The ruling means that the Senator, who is representing Ogun East constituency in the upper legislative chamber, can be extradited from Nigeria to the U.S to answer to the charges.
Chicago prosecutors had accused Kashamu of heading a heroin trafficking ring in the 1990s.
However, the Senator had insisted that prosecutors want his dead brother instead.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in April 2015, Kashamu asked the court to stop operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from extraditing him abroad.
The court dismissed the complaint and the U.S Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling on Monday.
Nigeria’s political history is replete with men who rose to the heights of political glory by climbing on the shoulders of godfathers. Ladi Adebutu seems to be toeing the same path, unmindful of the fate of those who had come crashing down after falling out with their godfathers.
On his part, Ladi, a member of the House of Representatives, is banking on the vast wealth of his father, Chief Kessington Adebutu, to actualise his ambition of becoming the next governor of Ogun State. He however faces stiff opposition in the person of Senator Buruji Kashamu whose own ambition is sure to clash with those of the younger Adebutu.
It was gathered that although they both hail from the Ijebu part of the state and both belong to the Peoples Democratic Party, neither of them is ready to sacrifice his ambition for the other.
In the face of the massive threat posed by Kashamu, who is banking on the influence he has garnered through years of service at the grassroots, Ladi has predictably turned to his father’s wealth and political clout as his trump card towards securing his party’s ticket come 2018.
In order not to fall foul of the party’s zoning formula, Ladi, who hails from Iperu Remo, plans to run for office from the Odogbolu Constituency. But be it as it may, political schemers in the state appear set to throw their weight behind him.