By Tosin Olatokunbo
Senator Buruji Kashamu, former representing Ogun East in the National Assembly is seriously fighting to ward off his suspension from the PDP and retain his membership of the largest opposition in Nigeria.
A federal high court in Abuja, recently stopped the federal government from extraditing him to the United States of America, USA where he’s wanted on allegations of money laundering.
The dust of that victory was yet to settled when the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus warned the bulky politician and Sponsor of Omo Ilu Foundation, that he’s no longer the member of the party.
The controversial senator is also currently embroiled in a battle to control the soul of PDP in his home state, Ogun.
In spite of the vicious attacks from all sides, the politician said he will fight, anyone trying to expel him from the party to the very end, insisting that he remained a bona fide member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), contrary to the position of his party.
According to a statement by Austin Oniyokor, his spokesman, the senator said his party cannot overrule a court order that nullified his expulsion.
The Senator said the subsisting orders have neither been appealed nor upturned.
Kashamu said “Before the 2019 general election, an FCT High Court on October 10, 2018 nullified my expulsion.
“The court described it as ‘an act done in gross and wilful violation of an express order of court made on the 9th of January, 2018, directing parties to keep and maintain status quo and in particular not to carry out any disciplinary action…without first having recourse to this court.”
The court went further to rule that ‘the said letter of the expulsion of four persons made by the respondents hereof on the 1st of August, 2018 is hereby set aside and declared null, void and of no effect, in that it was made in gross violation of the aforesaid subsisting Order of Court.’”
He said the order restraining ogun state party chairman, Adedayo Bayo, from expelling him from the party is also binding on the party at the national level.
The senator accused Dayo of being behind current his travailss with the party.
Kashamu said Dayo “is the former State Chairman, Adebayo Dayo, who is now in league with those Prince Secondus is siding with.
.Thus, the judgment remains valid, subsisting and binding on the PDP; any contrary view again will be contemptuous of the court.”
He scoffed at the PDP chairman, insisting that he remained a bona fide member of the PDP.
“So, for these reasons, as a former member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP and an automatic member of the State Executive Committee, I remain a bonafide and financial member of the PDP in Ogun State,” Kashamu said.
