Kashamu, Abiodun in war of words over tribunal’s verdict

Dapo Abiodun

A HOT exchange of words has erupted between the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate who contested against him during the last polls, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, over a recent judgment by the National Assembly and State Election Petition Tribunal.

The three-man tribunal had last week overturned Kashamu’s victory at the poll and ordered re-election in 110 polling units within 90 days.

But Prince Abiodun, in a statement had expressed his appreciation to his party, well- wishers and admirers for their support during the trial and saw God’s hand in his “victory.”

His words: “My victory, though delayed came at God’s time which is the best. It was to serve a purpose.”

The statement noted among other things that the tribunal’s verdict had confirmed that indeed there were malpractices, fraud, irregularities, violence, intimation and inducement.

He likened his “victory” to that of Joseph in the Bible which in his view also came at the “right time.” Abiodun who had likened his opponent’s initial victory as “temporary triumph of evil over good and falsehood over truth,” expressed his staunch belief in justice, quoting Malcom X: “I am for truth, no matter who tells it. I am for justice, no matter who it is for, or against.”

The business mogul went on: “Our people knew the social, political, economic, cultural, and even religious position and marks of our senatorial district in Nigeria, they knew the right and befitting candidate they voted for. My victory at the tribunal, is therefore, the victory of the people of Ogun East Senatorial District, our party members and coordinators who worked tirelessly…

“ God delayed the victory of Joseph in the Bible for the right time, just as He delayed President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory for the right time. Our victory came at the right time, as it was eagerly expected all over the world. It also removed the tag of ridicule and stain which our opponent’s false emergence placed on the good, morally upright and hardworking people of Ogun East Senatorial District.”

He, therefore, called on his followers not to lower their guards even as the full text of the judgment was being awaited, urging them to be law- abiding

“I must also thank the three-man panel of judges for serving the cause of justice, and, according to the well reported comment of The tribunal chairman, resisting all attempt to induce and influence the panel.

But Kashamu, through his media aide, Mr. Austin Oniyokor, said: “Abiodun must be living in self-delusion for him to claim any victory because none was awarded to him. Clearly, God is not mocked. It should be noted that it took him over 72 hours to say anything after the tribunal gave its controversial verdict.

“For clarification purposes, we wish to reiterate that the tribunal did not nullify Senator Kashamu’s election. It only nullified the votes attributed to both candidates in 110 polling units out of 1,135 polling units in Ogun East Senatorial District.

“It is worthy to note that after cancelling the results of the election in the 110 polling units, the tribunal awarded 70,677 votes to Abiodun and 75,856 to Senator Kashamu.

“The implication is that Senator Kashamu is still leading Abiodun with 5,179 votes. So, how can someone trailing behind Senator Kashamu with over 5,000 votes be claiming victory? How can someone who was defeated by Senator Kashamu in his polling booth, ward and local government be claiming victory? It does seem to us that he wants to get through the back door what he could not get in a free and fair contest.

“It is also very important to reiterate that the rerun was ordered in 110 out of over 1,135 polling units in the senatorial district. That is less than 10 per cent of the polling units in the senatorial district. Put differently, according to the tribunal, the election was successfully held in 1,025 polling units representing 90.3 per cent of the senatorial district as against the purportedly flawed 110 polling units representing 9.7 per cent of the senatorial district! In effect, the election had a 90.3 per cent success rate!”

“Abiodun and his pay masters must also not forget that Senator Kashamu has a right of appeal which he is already exercising. And until that is decided one way or another, he remains the Senator representing the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District. They have spoken loud and clear and the tribunal has reinforced it even after the unwarranted deductions”.

“So, for Abiodun’s information, Senator Kashamu will remain in office. His certificate of return is still with him. It has not been withdrawn because there is no such consequential order”.

“Among other grounds, the Court of Appeal will decide whether the tribunal has the right to call for a rerun where less than 10 per cent was found to be irregular, bearing in mind that there is always human errors/factors in every election which the tribunal itself acknowledged.

“It is our humble view that the percentage of irregularities is less than 10 per cent and it did not substantially change the result of the election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“So, the earlier Dapo Abiodun wakes up from his grand illusion the better for him. Truly, the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District have spoken and it has been unwittingly affirmed by the tribunal. We empathise with Abiodun on yet another forlorn ambition. He should take and be strong, knowing full well that another opportunity will soon be here in 2019.”

APC carpets NANS over award to politician
Meanwhile, the APC in Ogun State chapter has carpeted the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for conferring an award of Golden Man of the Year on Kashamu as a mentor.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sola Lawal, the APC said: “This is the same NANS which in the past was the doyen of activists and patriots of this country. This is the same NANS that was once celebrated by icons of nation building and nationalists such as the late Tai Solarin, Bala Usman, Gani Fawehinmi, Prof. Eskor Toyo, Margaret Ekpo and Prof. Wole Soyinka among a host of others.’’