Billionaire politician and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district in the upper legislative chamber, Sen. Buruji Kashamu is on the move. Yemojanewsng.com learnt that the controversial politician has been making desperate moves to dump his political party, the People Democratic Party (PDP) to join the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ogun State.
According to the information at our disposal, the politician who has been battling extradition by Nigeria’s Anti Narcotic Agency, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to the United State to face drug related charges since last year, has been pressing all necessary buttons, dishing out expensive gifts and making negotiations for a soft landing in the APC.
A dependable source told yemojanewsng.com that the senator whose voice is yet to be heard in the hallows chamber sent some high powered emissaries to the Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo to help him lay his request of joining the APC before the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie –Oyegun. Among the emissaries who went to the first class traditional ruler is alleged to the vociferous spokesperson of the PDP in Ogun state, Mr Segun Showunmi, a well know ally of Senator Buruji Kashamu.
Meanwhile, before the secret visit to Alake, our source revealed that Senator Buruji had reached out to the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
“It was when the state was preparing to receive President Muhammadu Buhari, Buruji sent a fairly used Rolls Royce to the King as a gift, and requested Oba Adetona plead with President Buhari to wade into the problem he has with the NDLEA and also let the President know of his intention to join and fund the APC in Ogun State” the source squealed.
The source however added that the highly respected Ijebu king outrightly rejected the ‘Tokunbo’ car gift from Buruji, saying that he doesn’t need it, while he also reportedly said that there is no way he could tell President Buhari not to let the law take its course in the NDLEA vs Buruji Saga. The Awujale was particularly miffed by the Senator’s request and reportedly washed his hands off it.
A top PDP Chieftain in Ogun State further revealed to us that Senator Buruji is ready to pay any price to join the APC because of his alleged drug case in the courts. “There is the general notion that the APC government of President Buhari is particularly after big wigs in the opposition (PDP). So people have advised Buruji to jump ship in order to safe his skin. That is why he is desperate” the party chieftain stated.
Yemojanewsng.com also learnt that Senator Buruji has rejuvenated his non-governmental Organization called Omo Ilu Foundation across the 20 local government of Ogun State and told its executives recently that the Omo Ilu Foundation is not affiliated to any political party, a pointer to the speculations that he may collapse the foundation into the APC.
It would be recalled that the Omo Ilu Foundation was founded and funded by the moneybag in 2009. Thousands of followers were recruited into the foundation though the presentation of 100,000 cash to a new member who went through an initiation process which allegedly included oath taking at a particular shrine in Ijebu Igbo. The oath taking process was rumoured to include lying down in a special occultic coffin. This later earned the prince Buruji Kashamu the sobriquet, ‘baba olowo posi’ (translated: the man whose wealth resides in coffin). The Omo Ilu Foundation was later used to hijack the executive of the PDP in Ogun State at the twilight of the 8 years administration of the immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Also supporting the argument that Senator Buruji is finding any way to creep into the APC, the embattled politician in a queer move rolled out several banners and posters during the visit of the President to Ogun State last month. Some of the messages on the posters which had the PDP and Omo-Ilu Foundation logos on them include, “Fighting Corruption Is Not Just Good Governance. It It’s Self-defense. Its Patriotism”, another one reads “IF WE EVER FORGET THAT WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THEN WE WILL BE A NATION GONE UNDER -SPBK Support PMB”.
In a bid to get clearer picture of what Senator Prince Buruji Kashsamu (SPBK) really wants and get confirmation for our story, our reporter spoke with Mr Segun Showunmi, one of the close ally of Senator Buruji who was named as leading the emissaries to the Alake of Egba land. Mr Showunmi denied leading any team to the Alake of Egba land, “I want to state emphatically that I was never in any team that went to visit the Alake of EgbaLand on behalf of senator Buruji. It is a lie. I want to tell you that it’s not true”. When we ask if he was aware of the visit to the Awujale of Ijebu Land, Showunmi declare that he is not aware of anything like that.
But some chieftains of the PDP in Ogun believe Mr Showunmi was being economical with the truth, “what did you expect Segun Showumi to say. He has to deny because he will not want to embarrass his boss. Buruji is desperate to join APC because of his drug case. But let’s wait and see, everything will soon be in the open’’, a top PDP chieftain in Ogun State said.
