Senator Buruji Kashamu and Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State have traded words over the ongoing crisis in the South West zone of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The war of words started when Senator Kashamu accused Governor Fayose and Senator Iyiola Omisore of planning to destroy the party on the zone.
The Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district in the Upper Chamber revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday. He also denied widespread rumours that he is moving to another party.
He said: “I wish to state without mincing words that the misleading report linking me with the move was concocted and spread on the social media by one Lere Olayinka who is a well-known attack dog of Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
“While it is true that the 14-month leadership crisis that engulfed our party started as a result of Fayose and ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s attempt to perpetrate impunity and cut short the tenure of elected party executives, I mediated between the two leaders, pointing out their virtues and mistakes as someone who has related with them over time.
“I proposed a political solution to the leadership crisis. But when all that failed, they went the whole hog of the judicial system.
“It is also on record that when the Supreme Court gave its judgment, I congratulated the National Chairman, Senator Makarfi, and other members of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) on the verdict, and urged all aggrieved party members to unite and work with them in the overall interest of our party.
“Fayose and ex-PDP governorship candidate in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, then got their illegal puppets, Sikirulai Ogundele and Bayo Faforiji, into the NEC meeting until they (including Omisore) were sent out by the National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, upon the observation raised by a member of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun.
“These men never took part in state congresses held before the national leadership crisis broke out in May, 2016, but were handpicked by a member of the House of Representatives from Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and Omisore, both of whom are nursing governorship ambitions.
“But as for me, Fayose and Omisore cannot push me out of the PDP. They do not have what it takes. I am not going anywhere.
“I remain a strong mobiliser for the PDP and one of its leaders in the South West. That is why I cannot close my eyes to impunity and injustice.”
He thereafter urged the leaders of the party, including the “National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, not to allow Fayose and Omisore to spoil their efforts to unite the party and reposition it.”
“I said it when the leadership crisis started that Fayose orchestrated it to pocket the party’s structure in the South West and make it easier for him to realise his ambition. Since he cannot imagine a life out of politics and power, few days after the Supreme Court judgment, he launched his so-called Presidential campaign.” Senator Kashamu stated further.
Reacting to the statement from Senator Kashamu, Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose described him as a “drowning horse looking for what to hold unto for survival.”
The Ekiti State Governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said Kashamu pushed himself out of the PDP due to the several anti-party activities allegedly committed against the plaform that brought him to the Senate.
He said: “It is Buruji (Kashamu) that tried to destroy the PDP; Buruji should be ignored because he is a drowning horse looking for what to hold unto for survival or who to blackmail.
“Nobody pushed him out the PDP; he pushed himself out because of the evils he perpetrated.
“For numerous advertorials and press releases he has published in newspapers to disparage Fayose, the governor has not replied him because he will not join issues with him.
“It is better to allow his sleeping dog to lie.” Governor Fayose concluded.