PDP expels Kashamu

The People’s Democratic Party Monday announced the expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu from the party.

Kashamu represents Ogun East in the current 8th National Assembly. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on States and Local Government.

Others expelled from the party Samiu Sodipo, Bayo Adebayo and Segun Seriki. Their expulsion was approved by the party’s national executive committee.

Although the PDP did not expressly give any reason for expelling Kashamu, he has, however, been battling drug-related scandal for more than a year.

Kashamu was indicted in an Illinois court in 1998 over conspiracy to distribute heroin, AFP reported.

He was arrested in Britain that December but ultimately convinced British authorities that the drug trafficking evidence in fact related to his brother and that US investigators had confused the two men.

A British court approved his release in 2003 and Kashamu returned to Nigeria, where he became a major funder of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The United States has sought Kashamu’s extradition for two decades and it was not clear if Nigeria’s decision to act was linked to political shifts.

The PDP under president Goodluck Jonathan was defeated nationally by Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC). Buhari has since embarked on a drive against corruption.

Kashamu has repeatedly denied any involvement in drug smuggling, consistently throwing blame on his deceased brother, whom he reportedly resembles.