Senator Kashamu emerges as PDP's Ogun State governorship candidate despite being wanted in US for drug trafficking

OGUN East Senatorial District lawmaker Senator Buruji Kashamu has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for the Ogun State governorship election despite being wanted in the US for drug trafficking charges.

Over the weekend Adeleke Shittu the original PDP candidate withdrew from the race to stand as the party's governorship candidate. Mr Shittu,  who emerged after the primary conducted by the Bayo Dayo faction of the party in the state, withdrew voluntarily for Senator Kashamu, whose name will now be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

Austin Oniyokor,  Senator Kashamu's spokesman, said the leaders of the party prevailed on Senator Kashamu to replace Mr Shittu to brighten its chances of winning the governorship election. However, the party retained former presidential spokesman Reuben Abati as its deputy governorship candidate.

Mr Oniyokor said: “The party’s stakeholders, leaders and elders met and decided that it would be better for Senator Buruji Kashamu to run if the PDP wants to win. Mr Adeleke Shittu, who was at the meeting,  also saw reason with them and I can confirm to you that Mr Shittu  signed the withdrawal  letter and has informed Inec of his withdrawal from the race.”

Meanwhile, the Unity Party of Nigeria has adopted the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Otunba Rotimi Paseda,  as its flagbearer for the Ogun State governorship election. Alhaja Aminat Olatunbosun, the chairperson of the Ogun State chapter of the UPN said  the party decided to  endorse Otunba Paseda because he is the most credible of all the governorship  candidates being paraded by all the political parties in the state.