By Michael Adesanya/Abeokuta
The League of Registered Political Parties (LRPP), Ogun State Chapter, on Thursday called for the arrest of former senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state for flouting government’s directive to inaugurate new executive.
Kashamu and others, some days ago, staged inauguration for new executives of the party at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta.
But the political parties, in a petition sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and made available to newsmen, insisted that the inauguration of new PDP leadership in the state has violated the government’s order on social gathering.
Also, their Chairman, Oginni Olaposi in a statement issued in Abeokuta said that drastic action must be taken against Kashamu and his loyalists, stressing that the governor needs to demonstrate to the whole world that the war against Covid -19 is without fear and favour, hence he should order the immediate arrest and prosecution Kashamu and other PDP members that partook in the inauguration.
Oginni, who described Kashamu and others as law breakers, said their action showed they are above the law of NCDC, therefore they must face the wrath of the law.
The statement said:: “it’s disheartening that a group of people led by Senator Buruji Kashamu, out of political desperation, rolled out programme to inaugurate an illegal executive of Ogun PDP at Abeokuta on the 8th of May,2020 against the NCDC and Lockdown protocols of Prohibition of social gathering at this crucial moment of the world history.The gathering and meeting of these set of law breakers was masterminded by Senator Buruji Kashamu.
”Recognizing the fact that the Federal Government and Ogun state government concurrently declared total lockdown of the state to contain the spread of the deadly Corona Virus, It’s therefore a big surprise that Senator Buruji Kashamu was bold enough to instigate the forceful opening of Ogun PDP Secretariat for the unholy gathering and the Inauguration of the illegal PDP Executives led by one Mr. Bamgbose on the 8th of May, 2020.
“We hereby call on Gov. Dapo Abiodun to demonstrate to the whole world that the war against Covid -19 is without fear and favour by ordering the immediate arrest and Prosecution of Senator Buruji Kashamu, Mr.Bamgbose and other members of his illegal executives. It is disturbing that Senator Buruji Kashamu and his followers are acting as if they are all above the law and protocols of NCDC.
“It is also on record that Independent National Electoral Commission through its Spokesperson, Mr. Festus Okoye announced the suspension of all Political Patties activities including Congresses and Convention till further notice due to the dreaded Corona Virus . It is therefore criminal for any Political party or any group of people to lay claim to any congress during this Period of Pandemic to the extent of celebrating an illegal inauguration..
“Gov. Dapo Abiodun therefore needed to show courage as a leader who is not afraid to discharge his duties as a Governor by making sure that Political Party that flouted the law of social gathering especially during this lockdown are apprehended and prosecuted irrespective of whose ox is gored.
“We’re all living witness to the arrest and Prosecution of an Actress- Funke Akindele for just holding a parlor birthday party for her husband in Lagos!
“If the churches and mosques could not open, why would the Governor of Ogun State allowed Senator Buruji Kashamu and his followers opened the PDP Secretariat and performed an elaborate function to the extent of inaugurating an illegal executives with pomp and pageantry without any challenges from the state government officials?
“We hereby call on the Chairman of NCDC and all relevant governmental agencies that are connected with the enforcement and Prosecution of lawless individuals who are clog in the wheel of the containment and eradication of this pandemic to ensure that those that gathered at the Ogun PDP Secretariat on the 8th of May 2020 for the inglorious inauguration face the full wrath of the Law.”