Ex- Ogun PDP chair, nine others planned to invade Secretariat, Kashamu alleges

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

The strong man of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has raised the alarm over alleged planned invasion of the state secretariat in Abeokuta by armed thugs and hoodlums.

In a petition to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Kashamu claimed the invasion may be launched soon after the lockdown imposed on the state over COVID – 19  pandemic is lifted.

In a copy of the petition, which was sighted by The Nation, the immediate past Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, accused the “suspended” chairman of PDP, Chief Adebayo Dayo, of alleged impersonation, forgery, threats to life and attempt to cause chaos and breach of public trust in the state.

The former lawmaker’s allegation is coming shortly after Dayo first petitioned the Police Commissioner, alleging threats to his life and household by Kashamu.

Aside Dayo Bayo,  Kashamu also listed nine other chieftains whom he accused of allegedly impersonating the real members of the Ogun State Working Committee of the PDP, stressing that they have been going about saying the ward, local government and state congresses of the party never held “when they are in no position to make such declaration.”

He said: “Their outlandish claim is meant to prepare the grounds for their planned invasion of the state party secretariat on IBB Boulevard, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, with armed thugs and hoodlums who will maim and kill innocent party members, workers and officials.

“I wish to respectfully urge you to confront them with all these evidence and asked why he and others are carrying out acts of impersonating and fraud with intent to cause chaos in Ogun State. Failure to offer satisfactory justification should make them to be prosecuted for conspiracy, fraud, impersonation and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace accordingly.

“Following the suspension of Engr. Dayo as State Chairman, many leaders and elders of the PDP in Ogun State and members of the State Working Committee/State Executive Committee have been living in fear of being attacked. Some of us have been seeing strange faces and unregistered vehicles trailing us lately.

“At other times, we get strange calls from unknown numbers, warning us to be careful or else we would be dealt with. Since they could not have their way, credible information at my disposal shows that Engr. Dayo and his allies have been threatening to attack us either directly or by proxies.”

Read Also: Kashamu to Secondus: I remain PDP member

But reacting in a telephone chat, Dayo described the allegations as baseless and unfounded, saying Kashamu was merely desperate to get at him for pushing reconciliation within the party.

Dayo asked the former senator to desist from peddling falsehood against him and instead face the huge debts he allegedly owed Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

He said: “Since the commencement of this lockdown, I have not stepped out of my house. I don’t use thugs; you have seen me at the party secretariat and no thugs.

“I am the head of the hunters in Ijebu and for over 50 years, I have been hunting. When I was in England, I had licence for my gun and even when I returned to Nigeria, I have my licence. But my gun is for hunting of animals, not meant to hunt human beings. He claimed I hired cultists; if I want 1,000 hunters, I just need to call the leaders of the hunters.

“If somebody just wakes up and realizes that the party does not favour him again and now starts to look for somebody to lie against; no one should lie against me. I don’t know about any assassination plot. What he intends to do is what he had alleged against me.

“I offended him because of my decision to restore unity in the party. I pleaded with him that we should reconcile with the Ladi Adebutu group. What do I have to gain in his death? He should rather face the N13billion debt he owed AMCON and desist from peddling falsehood against him.”