2019: TWO PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES LAUNCH SEPERATE CAMPAIGNS IN OGUN

The venues of the candidates were full to brim by their various supporters who differently claimed that, their bosses remained authentic party flagbearer, while the Kashamu’s supporters argued that, the authenticity of his candidature was better affirmed by the electoral body.

Penpushing also reports that, Adebutu’s supporters emphasized that, presentation of the party flag to him by the national leadership of the party further affirmed his candidature, stressing that Kashamu and his supporters were only wasting their time and resources.

It is, however, recalled that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented the party’s flag to Ladi Adebutu as the Governorship Candidate for Ogun State, ignoring Buruji Kashamu who is the party flagbearer as recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party in Ogun State conducted parallel congresses, which produced Buruji Kashamu and Ladi Adebutu separately, but the electoral commission acting on a court judgement recognized Kashamu as the party candidate.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier suspended Kashamu and the Dayo Bayo led executive in the State, but the court ruled in favour of the executive, a development the electoral commission acted on to list Kashamu as the party governorship candidate

The National Chairman, Uche Secondus, while presenting the party flag, which also include, Seyi Makinde for Oyo State and Jimi Agbaje for Lagos State, who was represented by Oluwayemisi Busari declared that those who wanted to contest against the party and its candidates in the South-West States should be ready.

He boasted that the party would be victorious in the legal tussle on its governorship candidate in Ogun, emphasisng that Adebutu was duly elected in the primary that produced him as the party candidate, adding that the party’s primaries nationwide were monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and names of the party candidates were submitted to the commission by the leadership of the party in accordance with electoral guidelines.

 He said, “You cannot come and bend the process. It is criminal for one person to print form and sell the form to himself, conduct congress by himself and submit names to INEC in his signatory,”

However, Adebutu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said he was certain that the party was “destined by God to deliver the nation from problems it was currently going through’,emphasising that the party had shown with determination that it was able to administer itself and lead the nation, stressing that parties that were not capable of administering themselves could not administer a nation.

His words, “PDP has shown clearly that we have the capacity to administer ourselves well. We have done so and we have had processes throughout the nation that everybody should be proud of.”

Adebutu pledged that the candidates would do their best to provide good governance if elected in their various states, adding, “we will do our best to bring food and security to the masses of this country’

‘We will also create enabling environment that will make it easy for investors to stay here and help us prosper as a nation. Those are the things we believe in that will bring about good governance in all the states,” he said

Penpushing reports further that, Kashamu, a Senator representing Ogun State in his reaction declared that, the handing over of party flag to Adebutu as conducted by the National Chairman, Uche Secondus was an exercise in futility,

He added that, Secondus calling him an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC)., was a wrong notion, stressing that he was only fighting for my rights and the rights of his teeming supporters in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, adding that his emergence was back with a court ruling

‘As the National Chairman of an opposition and pan-Nigeria political party, Prince Secondus is supposed to be a leader and the alter ego of the PDP.  Thus, there is a presupposition that he would project the best that PDP represents. It is not for him to continue carry on as a serial contemnor through consistent disobedience of subsisting court judgments under the guise of party supremacy. He cannot continue to act as if the party is not guided by its own constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘It is surprising that while the leaders and elders of the party as well as its presidential candidate who believe in the Rule of Law have advised the national leadership of our party to toe the path of honour, Secondus and his co-travellers decided to go the inglorious way of impunity and disregard for constituted authorities – in a desperate bid to accomplish the mercenary job they have been paid to do.

He said, with the conduct of Secondus, the party was telling Nigerians and members of the party that the party belongs to them and they can do whatever pleases them, stressing that, ’they are saying they are the Alpha and Omega of the Party; and that they are more powerful than the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They have always done this to people. But, I want to make it abundantly clear that, on behalf of all the cheated and oppressed members of the party, we will fight for our rights till the last’.

‘I urge the judiciary, the legislature and the executive arms of government to take cognizance of the happenings in the PDP as they relate to the Ogun State PDP issue. It is not about me or my supporters. It is about our democracy and respect for the Rule of Law which are being endangered by the activities of Secondus and his ilk’.

Penpushing, however, reports that, as at the time of filing this report, the case of who the right Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidate in Ogun is currently in court.