Senator Buruji Kashamu who is representing the Ogun east senatorial district in the national assembly, has said the PDP Governor’s forum made a mistake picking Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose as their chairman.
Kashamu issued a statement expressing his views on Sunday, January 22, at Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun state. He said: “It was a misnomer that the governors of an opposition party that is in need of rebranding and repositioning could chose a liability, a loud mouth and an immature politician like Fayose as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
“It is not that his emergence as the Chairman of the Forum means anything to me. But as a committed and loyal party man, it gives me great concern that instead of taking steps that will foster peace and unity, we are doing things that will widen the gap and cause more unity.
“Those who chose him should have a rethink in the interest of the party that is striving hard to return to power.
“His brother-governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, whose tenure he purportedly continued as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is a cool-headed and balanced character.
“Even then, some of us pointed out that Governor Mimiko was slippery and sly, and a traitor who could not be relied upon. What happened at the end of the day?
“The party broke on his head when he overreached himself in the South West as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum at the behest of Governor Fayose.
“Instead of being a strong leader who would be fair to all, and do good to all manner of people, without fear or favour, he became more of a weather-beaten fowl, sullen and uninspiring. But, we thank God that we held our grounds and fought for our rights.
“Fayose had always wanted to be the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. That was why he had some resentment towards Mimiko upon his emergence as the Chairman of the Forum in 2015.
“While I concede to our Governors the right to choose whoever they want to lead them, my point is that they should have settled for a balanced, more experienced and mature person to lead the Forum, not a cantankerous, divisive and unstable character like Governor Fayose who snaps at the slightest provocation.
“I know that the Forum boasts of Governors who are true leaders, not pretenders. Ayodele Fayose and Buruji Kashamu. There are those who are better educated, well-cultured and better exposed who are not working against the interest of their people and country.
“We have Governors who have held public offices since the return to democracy in 1999 but who are untainted. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) does not have any case against them. Those are the kind of people that could have been chosen to lead the Forum, not one with a goodwill deficit whose hands have been found in the public till.”
Kashamu said choosing Fayose would destroy the PDP, saying: “How many of the notable leaders of the party in Ekiti State and the South West are ready to work with Governor Fayose?
“He had the opportunity to fight for the interest of the good people of Ekiti State and Yoruba land but he flunked it, preferring to promote impunity and side with a tiny clique who will always do his bidding.
“How can our respected leaders stay aloof and allow this to happen when they are aware of the genesis of the crisis in the party – Fayose’s and Mimiko’s unbridled ambition to impose their will on the party and ride roughshod over all other stakeholders of the party in the South West.
“We must reject Governor Fayose now or strictly restrict him to running the affairs of the Governors’ Forum while well-meaning leaders and elders of the party who are not part of the crisis bedeviling the party are allowed to take charge of the affairs of the party and run it properly and legitimately.”
Kashamu concluded by saying: “If we must get things right, we need to wake up from our slumber and be organized and proactive.
“You cannot give what you don’t have. A disorganized and tactless person cannot successfully lead a respected body like the PDP Governors’ Forum, let alone the party. If care is not taken, his so-called leadership of the Forum could sound the death knell on the party.”
Meanwhile, only two days ago, some women under the aegis of Patriotic Mothers without Borders called for the arrest of Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose over his alleged involvement in the famous $2.1 billion arms deal.