By ERNEST NWOKOLO, Abeokuta
A new twist has crept into the defection of supposed loyalists of strongman of Ogun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), late Senator Buruji Kashamu, to the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
The PDP disowned the defectors, describing them as “political merchants” and people planted in its midst to “cause disaffection and disharmony.”
Former Director General of Governorship Campaign Team of Kashamu, Aare Remilekun Bakare, former Commissioner for Special Duties during the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Chief Kola Sorinola and a number of others from Abeokuta South, Obafemi Owode and Abeokuta North Local Governments who were once loyal to Kashamu, declared for APC on Monday evening.
They were received by Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ogun APC Caretaker Committee chairman Chief Yemi Sanusi and other leaders of the ruling party, including former Reps member, Chief Bode Mustapha and Adekunle Adesina.
But less than 24 hours after the defection, Ogun PDP said the defectors were neither leaders in the party nor members of late Kashamu’s political family.
Reacting through its Publicity Secretary, Oyejide Sunkanmi, the party explained Bakare and others only returned to APC when it dawned on them their game plan was up following the peace brokered in Ogun PDP by the Dr. Bukola Saraki-led National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee.
Oyejide, in a statement, noted the PDP respects the democratic and constitutional rights of the defectors to free association but urged the Ogun residents to see Bakare and others as having acted in their own interest and not that of the PDP or Kashamu political family.
He stated: “History has a way of repeating itself. Recall that the same Dr. Remi Bakare who is reported to have led the ‘defectors’ angrily and unreasonably rejected the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket freely given to him by Chief Segun Osoba-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011.
“Bakare is known for political miscalculation often borne out uncontrollable anger that he erroneously termed ‘principles.
“Although he was named by our late leader as chairman of the apex caucus (a body created merely for administrative convenience), he could not provide the much-needed leadership for the Kashamu political family, as things began to fall apart under him without a sense of direction, culminating in his return to his political family – the APC!
“While we pity the few who have been misled into joining him and his leader in the APC, we wish to appeal to all the friends, associates and members of the Kashamu political family across the 236 wards in Ogun State to remain in the PDP which our late leader laboured to build.
“He joined PDP, lived and breathed the party until his last day. While he had friends across party lines, he was never an unprincipled politician who crossed from one party to the other at the flimsiest excuse.
“Therefore, we urge all members of the Senator Kashamu political family not to be distracted by the news of the few renegades.
“We also wish to seize this opportunity to reaffirm that the Kashamu political family remains in PDP and we stand by the “Abuja Accord” signed on the 25th of March, 2021 as supervised by Dr. Bukola Saraki-led National Reconciliation & Strategy Committee.” (The Nation)
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