Buruji Kashamu
• Treat Him As A Bull In A China Shop, Says Ozekhome
• He’s On Side Of Law, Ajulo
• He’s On Side Of Law, Ajulo
Following the display of names of candidates of the Buruji Kashamu faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun State Chapter by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the main faction of the party, yesterday, assured members that the party is already in court to vacate the order.
The party’s Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, told The Guardian that, “even INEC has repeatedly admitted that the process of submission of names through the state executive was irregular, illegal and perfidious. But it claimed to be obeying a court order and advised PDP to vacate the order. What has happened in Ogun is unknown to any of our electoral statutes, and as such, PDP believes it cannot stand.”
Meanwhile, Abuja-based lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has blamed the activities of Senator Buruji Kashamu on some members with vested interest. He admonished the party to treat Kashamu as a bull in a China shop, to avoid giving him opportunity to destroy the party, which has been his major assignment.
According to Ozekhome, Kashamu has remained a mole in the party, alongside Senator Amodu Sheriff, who was ousted by the Supreme Court.
He said: “It is clear to me and to all Nigerians that there must be some vested interests within the PDP that also accommodate Kashamu’s hubris. It is clear that Kashamu also was an ally of Amodu Sheriff, whose sole purpose was to maximally destroy PDP from within.
“It was just by luck for PDP as a party that the Supreme Court checkmated it and saved it from the hemorrhage and near extinction it was heading for. The other person that still remains within PDP, who is a great ally of Sheriff is Kashamu, whose pronouncements and acts before, during and after Sheriff’s exit, have not been in tandem with that of a person who wants his political party to take over power.
“So, if PDP is not very careful, it will find that through its ‘own’ Kashamu, it will ironically deliver Ogun to its political foes, which will be a sad commentary on PDP leadership, both at Ogun State and national levels.
“The PDP could see how APC faction of Senator Hope Uzodinnma did it with automatic alacrity and smoked out the Okorocha menace, which was to enthrone his family dynasty in Imo State. The PDP, therefore, should know that as an opposition party, it has to be more aggressive, more proactive and more combative within the bounds of law in dealing with political issues of the day.”
But former National Publicity Secretary, Labour Party and a lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, described Kashamu as a veteran litigant, who, with his numerous court cases, has come to the understanding that judiciary cum law is the last hope, not only for the common man but for anyone who so seeks.
He said: “Also, I want to believe that Kashamu believes that equity will never hold the indolent. That is the reason he seems to be proactive. If there is anyone that uses the instrumentality of the law to fan his interest and achieve his goals in recent times in Nigeria, it is Kashamu. While others are sleeping, he always runs to the door of justice to ensure he gets a reprieve. I know many people may be thinking that Kashamu is not on a good footing, but the court is not Father Christmas. It is what you present before it that it will consider before delivering judgment.
“Nigerians need to know that, and we also need to understand where he is coming from. In APC matter for example, where are all those people that lost out in the so-called APC primaries? Instead of them to seek redress in court, you see them making noise, throwing batons and going begging, knowing full well that one of the foundations democracy stands on is law.”
Meanwhile, INEC insists it was abiding by court judgment in the Ogun case. But the same INEC said it only accepts parties’ lists of candidates from their national secretariats, duly signed by national chairman and Secretary. But it had no answer on the question of who signed the Kashamu list.
