Tribunal orders re-run for Kashamu Buruji Senatorial District

The election of Mr. Buruji Kashamu as the Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district of Ogun State was last Friday set aside by the National and S tate Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal which ordered a rerun within 90 days. The reported plans by aggrieved chieftains and factions of his troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work against his continued stay in the upper chamber by supporting his opponent at the rerun election, may be creating fresh troubles for the Ijebu Igbo strongman.

Sources told The Nation that anxiety gripped Buruji’s political family, the Omo-Ilu group, as well as leaders of the PDP in Ogun State When the National and state Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, on Friday, set aside the election of Kashamu. The three man Tribunal headed by Justice Ebiowei Tobi in delivering the judgement this afternoon, also ordered a re – run election in 110 of the polling units in Ogun East Senatorial district, comprising of nine Local Governments within 90 days. It was reported that there was jubilation in the camps of some PDP strongmen in the state over the nullification of the Senator’s victory. This gave early signs that Kashamu may not enjoy the support of PDP leaders like former Governor Gbenga Daniel, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Chief Dave Salako, and numerous others who had been locked in serious political battle with the Ijebu born politician, over the control of the party in the state. The tribunal also nullified the election of a member of the House of Representatives,  Segun Adekoya, and three state assembly members who are all members of Kashamu’s Omo-Ilu political family. To make matters worse, all four affected lawmakers represents constituencies within Ogun East senatorial district where Kashamu is now fighting the political battle of his life.Adekoya, popularly called “Attacker” within political circles, is believed to be the political point man of embattled Senator Kashamu. With him also having to fight for his own political survival during the ordered re-run election, many people are of the opinion that Kashamu, who had lost the support of a couple of his close associate after the last senatorial election, may be left bare and prone to defeat.The Petition challenging Kashamu’s victory in the last March 28 National Assembly elections, was filed by candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun.As part of the plot to stop Kashamu’s return to the senate, The Nation learnt that some chieftains of the PDP amy have resolved to support Abiodun at the rerun election. The chieftains, many of whom have been kept out of the party by Kashamu’s Omo Ilu group, are seeking to pay the embattled Senator back in his own coins at the rerun election. Culled from The Nation