Delegates to this weekend’s national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been counseled not to vote for any candidate who has a pending corruption case in court.
The Senator representing Ogun-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu who made the call in a statement on Thursday in Abuja alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may be planning to rearrest some of the elective office aspirants.
He therefore warned the delegates, leaders and stakeholders of the party to shun anybody being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency.
Kashamu said: “While it is true that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, our great party cannot afford to close its eyes to this potential threat.
“It is a no-brainer that if a national chairman with a corruption case is elected, the party will literally be put on trial with him.
“This is one avoidable risk that is too much to take. You can be sure that a corruption trial of the national chairman of an opposition party will come with a lot of bad publicity that will sound the death knell the party.”
Kashamu also urged the delegates particularly those from the South-East, to support a candidate from the South-West as the national chairman in the interest of equity and justice.
He advised the South East delegates to emulate the Northern Elders Forum which has already directed northern delegates to support the quest of the South West to produce the chairman.
Kashamu added:. ”The implication of this avoidable tussle is to make uncertain the settled South-East vice-presidential quest in 2019. If the South-East expectedly takes a principled stance in support of the South-West, naturally as a reliable race in adherence to agreements, the Yoruba people would reciprocate without any prompting.
“What is currently happening is glaringly an orchestrated assault on the South-West to end up with nothing in 2019, just like we did when our party was in power. This is a dangerously illogical political permutation for 2019 national elections.”
He stressed the need for the PDP to adhere to established principles in the the selection of party posts even though he admitted that any qualified party member had the right to seek to be elected.
He further argued: “Without prejudice to anybody’s right to aspire for party positions, it is an open secret that the PDP national chairmanship had been conceded to the South-West pre-Port Harcourt convention.
“It was because of this that the other positions zoned to the South-West are innocuous deputies to substantive offices except the National Treasurer.
“All these are because of the vital national chairmanship had already been conceded to the South-West.
“It is in the light of the above that I wish to reiterate my call on our notable leaders, elders and delegates to put the interest of democracy and the future of our great party above any pecuniary interest or considerations. This is the time we have to rebrand our party and reposition it.”
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