I have no hand in Lagos PDP crisis –Kashamu

Senator Buruji Kashamu (PDP – Ogun East) has denied involvement in the crisis rocking the Lagos State Chapter of the party, ahead of council polls in the state.

The senator was reacting to an allegation by a factional Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Moshood Salvador, that he (Kashamu) was partly responsible for the crisis rocking the chapter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Salvador made the allegation in Lagos on Wednesday while announcing his faction’s alliance with the Labour Party for the July 22 Lagos State polls.

PDP candidates from the Salvador-led faction were not recognised for the election by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Austin Onyiokor, Kashamu, described the allegation as baseless.

He said that he had not interfered with the affairs of the Lagos State chapter of the party, and that he would never do.

Kashamu advised Salvador and his supporters to take responsibility for the crisis as well as the failure of the party to secure victory in the state for the past 18 years.

“Blaming me for something I know nothing about instead of taking responsibility is uncalled for,” he said.

He described the alliance between the Salvador-led faction and the Labour Party for the July 22 polls as “ riddance.”

NAN reports that PDP in the Lagos State has been factionalised along the national leadership tussle between Sen. Ali-Modu Sheriff and former Gov. Ahmed Makarfi.

While Salvador belongs to Makarfi’s PDP National Caretaker Committee, the Segun Adewale-led faction of the state PDP aligned with Sheriff.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has recognised the Adewale-led faction based on the Appeal Court judgment affirming Sheriff as Acting National Chairman.

The Salvador-led faction on Wednesday entered into an alliance with the Labour Party to enable its candidates to participate in the July 22 polls.