It appears that the Senator Buruji Kashamu faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has again lost out to the Hon Ladi Adebutu led faction.

This is in view of the absence of the names of the candidates sponsored by the senator from the recently released list of candidates to contest the councillorship and chairmanship positions in the forthcoming elections in the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) by the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC).

Candidates submitted by the Hon. Sikirulai Olawale Ogundele led State EXCO of the PDP were the only ones listed among those to contest in the election.

While Senator Kashamu faction belongs to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff factional National Working Committee of the PDP, Hon Adebutu faction belongs to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.

Meanwhile, Hon. Sikirulai Olawale Ogundele has reiterated the need for party members to be united in order to achieve victory at the polls.

Hon. Ogundele who stated this in a press statement in his reaction to the publication of the list by OGSIEC, said that the PDP has a lot of works to do to take over the governance of the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he said has mismanaged the local councils in the state over the years.

According to the state's PDP chairman, “all members and leaders of the party across the length and breadth of the state should rise up now more than ever before, and move out en masse to campaign for all the candidates of the party and ensure their resounding victory at the local government polls”

Ogundele, in the statement, which was signed on his behalf by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ogun State, Mr. Malik Olamilekan Ibitoye, added that the list finally put paid to the controversy surrounding the exercise and rested anxieties about the internal rancour among members of the party in the state.

He maintained that the people of Ogun State were already tired of the APC government, which he said is masquerading as “change agents” and have been clamouring for alternatives, while calling on all stakeholders in the party to join hands with him to steer the ship of the party to victory in future elections.

He also called on Senator Buruji Kasamu, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, Hon. (Aremo) Adesegun Adekoya; all elected past and current members of the Houses of Assembly, Representatives and the Senate; former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to rally round the present party executives in the state in order to deliver electoral victory for the party now and in 2019, while assuring all party members of a level playing field to exercise their mandate and express their full political aspirations and potentials.

Ogundele used the opportunity to commend OGSIEC ‘for being on the side of justice and peace,’ while calling on all former state executives of the party, especially the immediate past State chairman, Engineer Bayo Dayo and members of his State Working Committee to join hands with him to rescue the state from what he called directionless and visionless leadership now and in the nearest future.

“Following the recent pronouncement of OGSIEC approving the list of the candidates we submitted for the October 8 LG elections, I wish to congratulate all our candidates in the state and encourage all to be steadfast so that we can have victory in the election.

“The journey has just begun as we must as a matter of urgency embrace all our brothers and sisters on all sides of the divide. The desired victory cannot come with divisions and envy but by unity of purpose and steadfastness.

“We must see the PDP as one indivisible party so that we can achieve victory in all our elections. Ogun State is ripe for better leadership so that it can catch up with other developed states in the country.”

According to Ogundele, the PDP has all it takes to make Ogun State better than it is, adding that the local government election would determine the future of the State, and advised the residents not to “waste this golden opportunity that would give us developments in the grassroots” and urged them to cast their votes for the PDP.‎

•Photo shows Senator Buruji Kashamu.

Update news