Leaders and other Southwest stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday dissociated themselves from Senator Buruji Kashamu.
The senator currently represents Ogun East in the National Assembly.
He was the Chairman of the party’s National Mobilisation Committee.
The zonal leadership also said it had cut ties with the senator and directed the leadership of the party in Ogun State to stop dealings and meetings with him and his agents until further notice.
The zonal leaders spoke at the end of a meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where they discussed and took decisions on important issues affecting the progress of the PDP in the Southwest.
The meeting was attended by PDP leaders from Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos states.
They include Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, a former Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Bode George, former Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Osun State Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore, Dr. Saka Balogun, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Elder Wole Oyelese and a former Southwest Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.
Others include a former Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, Senator Hosea Agboola and Senator Ayo Adeseun.
The leaders, who condemned what they called Kashamu’s “destabilising and anti-party activities”, also called for disciplinary actions against him for his alleged roles in the party’s electoral loss in Ogun, Ondo and Edo states.
Welcoming the leaders to the meeting, the Zonal Chairman, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, expressed joy over the party’s victory at the Supreme Court, which upheld the Ahmed Markafi faction of the party.
Fayose, who accused Kashamu of being responsible for the challenges confronting the party in the Southwest, advised the state party leaders to take charge of their states and disallow other people from hijacking the party from them.
He said: “All people that are destabilising the peace in PDP, we must sanction them. Nobody is greater that this party. If you call yourself a leader and you are waging war against it, definitely you are an enemy of the party.
“So, our meeting resolved that we don’t want him again in our party. We are not ready to have anything to do with him again. We have directed all the states to stay clear from him.”
A communique issued at the end of the meeting reads in part: “The Zonal Leadership also hereby condemns and regrets the action and ignoble role of some of its membership that led to the unfortunate experience and trauma that held the entire party down for over a year now and pray that may such never recur again in our great party
“The entire Southwest leadership and stakeholders condemn the destabilizing and anti-party activities of Senator Buruji Kashamu and demand disciplinary actions against him for his roles in the loss of the party in Ogun, Ondo and Edo states.
“The zonal leadership and stakeholders hereby dissociate the zone from the activities of Senator Buruji Kashamu and resolve further to henceforth desist from dealing with him in any capacity in the zone, and the leadership of the party in Ogun state is hereby directed to stop all dealings and meetings involvement with Senator Buruji Kashamu and his agents until further notice
“The Zonal Leadership and stakeholders also hereby reject any association whatsoever with Senator Buruji Kashamu henceforth.”
