As the Federal Court (FHC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State cleared Senator Kashamu Buruji for the governorship election of Ogun State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, the party has reiterated that the state chapter of the party remains one.
The Ogun State PDP also assured the residents of the state that there is no victor or vanquish in the matter that lingered in the court for several months.
This was contained in a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ogun State, Alhaji Malik Ibitoye.
Alhaji Ibitoye said in the statement, which was made available to journalists, that the party would continue to operate as one and that the judgment has further oiled the determination of the party ‘to rescue Ogun State from “a set of people that lacks focus and vision to move the state forward.”
While saluting the courage of the judiciary over the matter, Alhaji Ibitoye stated that the Ogun State chapter of the PDP has, in recent times, realised the need to be united, which he said was why they held unity rallies across the state and also had a peace meeting where Hon Ladi Adebutu led members of his group to meet the Senator Buruji Kashamu’s camp where both agreed to work vigorously for the success of the party.
“We are emboldened by the court judgment to work together as a team to rescue our dear Ogun State from marauders that took over power in the state about eight years ago.
“It is now clear to the people of Ogun State that Governor Ibikunle Amosun and indeed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have no good plans for the people of the state,” the statement read.
The Publicity Secretary then appealed to all the members of the party in Ogun State to rally round the Governorship Candidate of the party in the state, Senator Kashamu Buruji and his deputy, Dr Rueben Abati as well as other candidates of the party and vote for them on Saturday 9 March, 2019 “for the future of our dear state.”
He used the opportunity of the statement to thank all the leaders and members of the party for their steadfastness and commitment to democracy despite all the challenges the state chapter of the party went through in recent times.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court, Abeokuta said on Wednesday that Ladi Adebutu’s case against Kashamu, and others is statute-barred and that the issues have been litigated upon before now.
On the originating summons, the court held that the reliefs sought could not be granted because the PDP ‘s primaries were conducted in flagrant violation of the judgment of the court in Suit no FHC/L:CS/636/2016.
“The primaries are illegal. The power of the PDP NEC to sell nominations forms cannot be exercised because SUIT NO FHC 636 empowers the state executive to conduct primaries and case is hereby dismissed,” the court ruled.
