By Según Oderinde
Who knows the gravity of pain twiddling Ladi Adebutu’s mind now? He probably goes through each day like a sad sport of a man.
Soon after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Kashamu Buruji as PDP’s governorship flagbearer in the state, Ladi became a broken man. Having spent heavily in pursuit of his dream, pundits wonder if all that money would amount to a waste.
Will the son of Baba Ijebu eventually achieve his dream of becoming governor of Ogun state? The dude, who has been reportedly suffering the short end of the stick from fate, vied to become Ogun governor, banking on his father’s wealth and influence, and hoping to enjoy a reprieve from hard times.
But his ambition suffered a devastating setback as INEC chose to recognise leader of another faction in party, Kashamu Buruji, who is still battling not to get extradited to the United States over drug related issues. Ladi, popularly known as ‘daddy’s boy,’ predictably wailed and wept but nothing happened. According to an insider, he has been spending his father’s money and if he doesn’t get the ticket and win the election it would be disastrous for him.
However, the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State worsened last Monday as the two rivals for its governorship ticket, Buruji Kashamu, and Ladi Adebutu, launched separate campaigns for the 2019 election.
Kashamu, who is recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), launched his campaign in Ijebu-Igbo town, while Mr Adebutu, who the national headquarters of the party has handed the party’s flag in the state, launched his in Abeokuta.
Both venues were thronged by thousands of their different sets of supporters who claimed each was the authentic PDP flag bearer. Kashamu’s supporters argued that his candidature has been affirmed by the electoral body. But Adebutu’s supporters said the presentation of the party flag to him by the national leadership of the party affirmed his candidature, stressing that Kashamu and his supporters were only wasting their time and resources.
The two factions in the state conducted parallel congresses, but INEC acting on a court judgement recognised Kashamu as the party’s candidate.
PDP had earlier suspended Mr Kashamu and the Dayo Bayo-led executive in the state. But they went to court and obtained judgement. At the zonal flag off of the PDP campaigns in the Southwest last week in Ibadan, the party presented its flag to Adebutu as its governorship candidate for Ogun State, ignoring Kashamu who was not at the event.
The National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, while presenting the party flags to the governorship candidates in the zone, including Seyi Makinde for Oyo State and Jimi Agbaje for Lagos State, who was represented by Oluwayemisi Busari, declared that those who want to contest against the party and its candidates in the South-West states should be ready.
He boasted that PDP would win the legal tussle on its governorship candidate in Ogun, emphasising that Mr Adebutu was duly elected in the primary.
Mr Secondus said the party’s primaries nationwide were monitored by INEC and the party submitted the names of its candidates to the commission in accordance with electoral guidelines.
