Youth leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West states have called on the Federal Government to adhere strictly to due process in handling the allegation of involvement in drug related offences in the United States that was levelled against the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Buruji Kashamu.

The youth leaders of PDP from Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states, Comrade Bamidele Seyi, Comrade Yinka Sotade, Honourable Segun Aboko, Hononurable Femi Alao, Honourable Obafemi Olajide and Honourable Idowu Taiwo resolved to lend their voices to the matter because of indication that the Senator might be persecuted with the manner the matter was being twisted.

A press statement issued by the youth leaders, which was made available to journalists in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, on Tuesday, appealed to the Federal Government to caution the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Department of State Service (DSS) to follow the due process in Kashamu’s matter.

The PDP youth leaders said: “If there are allegations against Kashamu, he should be allowed to defend himself and that the trial should follow due process. We oppose the plot to extradite the senator to the US to face trial where they wanted to nail him over offences he did not commit.”

“We expect the Nigerian government and its agencies to follow the global practice in handling this kind of matter. We urge our government at the centre to discourage its agencies from collaborating with mischief makers who wanted to indict Senator Kashamu.”

The PDP youth leaders also appealed to the media to remain objective reporting Kashamu’s case so as not to misinform the public on the true situation about the matter. They called on the Nigerian Bar Association to advice government and its justice dispensation bodies on the proper way to handle the situation.

They vowed to mobilise social political groups, students’ union bodies and youth groups in the South-West to stage massive protest if the federal government and its agencies attempt to extradite Kashamu to the US unjustly.

The youth leaders noted that Kashamu has invested hugely on youth empowerment in the South West and should be appreciated rather than extradited.

“Senator Kashamu has made huge investment in various youth empowerment schemes which have assisted many youths to become entrepreneurs through different trainings, local and foreign sponsorship for education. He has also given medical aid to many people, assisted many widows and the aged,” they said.

They added: “We have decided at our level firstly as PDP Youth and secondly as responsible leaders of tomorrow to break our silence on the unrepentant ill-use of the media for gross misinformation of the Nigerian populace about Senator Kashamu Buruji who has proven by all standards to be a law abiding and responsible citizen of Nigeria

“It is imperative to remind ourselves and the people of this great nation that Nigeria is not a banana Republic; we are a sovereign State and we have own laws and as such we are not as a nation at the mercy of the manipulation by any other country.

“We wish to unequivocally condemn the witch-hunting of Senator Buruji Kashamu by faceless and intellectually weak political bigots and their collaborators within the system who have together made several attempts at undermining our local legal system and the rule of law.

“We make bold to assert that the obvious reasons for the several unfounded and intellectually dislocated allegations and propaganda is the 2019 Elections; more so because of the innumerable philanthropic strides of the legislator which has become a threat to politicians who for all their public leadership life and experience have feasted on the woes and peril of the citizenry.

“It is noteworthy to state that Senator Kashamu has become the only succour to the youths in South/Western Nigeria. This without any doubt has made a lot of downtrodden to agree that there is a possibility of achieving good leadership in our zone again.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government to safeguard our national integrity and image by looking into the matter of Senator Kashamu with sincerity and discourage the sinister agenda of some faceless politicians who are raising false allegation against Senator Kashamu”, the PDP youth leaders said.

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