Court Upholds Buruji’s Expulsion from PDP ...Party says he is no longer a member

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Thursday’s judgment of an Abuja Federal High Court validating the expulsion of Senator Kashamu Buruji, representing Ogun West in the Senate, from the party.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the commendation in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said the validation of Buruji’s expulsion from the party had vindicated the party’s position that he was not PDP’s governorship candidate in Ogun State.

He said the ruling had also validated Ladi Adebutu as the PDP governorship candidate in the state hence his candidature was no longer in contention.

While hailing the judgment as a victory for democracy, Ologbondiyan urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note of the development and reflect such in every issue regarding the conduct of governorship election in Ogun State.

“The PDP invites Nigerians, the people of the state and particularly the Independe National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take copious note of the judgment of the court.

“The judgment in suit no: FCT/HC/0303/2017, delivered December 13, 2018, affirmed the powers of the PDP, as provided in its constitution, to discipline and punish any member who contravenes any of the provisions of its constitution.

“By this judgment, it is clear that Kashamu is not a member of the PDP, and cannot, under any circumstance whatsoever, claim to be the governorship candidate of the party in Ogun State, and when he never participated in any of its nomination processes.’’

Ologbondiyan said going by the expulsion of the senator from the PDP in July, Buruji lost his membership of PDP and as such, did not partake in any of the party’s nomination processes.

“He did not purchase the PDP governorship nomination form and did not participate in any way whatsoever in our Ogun State governorship primary, yet he had continued to cause confusion and parade himself as PDP candidate.

“Finally, the PDP commends the people of the state for standing steadfast with its governorship candidate, Adebutu, who is already coasting to victory in the 2019 polls,’’ he said.

Buruji, along three others, were expelled by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP for allegedly hobnobbing with the ruling party.