Intercepted transcript of meetings also reveal Buruji’s machinations with some officials within the Buhari administration acting on
personal grounds in a scheme where, if he succeeds, he could control the heart and soul of the PDP in South West.
Rarely does the nation get a true look inside the corrupt world of Nigerian oligarchs, politicians and the brazen manipulations they use to enhance their fortunes at the expense of the public good.
What the hacked conversation reveal is a degree of behind-the-scene manipulation of the most minute details of how alleged fugitive drug lord Senator Buruji Kashamu has been the architect of the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP both in the Southwest and the national level.
Buruji in a meeting with selected PDP leaders in Lagos in May outlined a detailed map of actions for the Sheriff faction. Titled, “A short and medium term comprehensive strategy for the new PDP,” the document from Kashamu calls for steps to prevent the emergence of a PDP chairman from the Southwest, amongst other things.
The Buruji plan makes clear he has his eyes on the leadership of the PDP in Southwest states and monopoly of the party in his native Ogun state.
The totality of what is revealed shows that Buruji is effectively the puppeteer pulling most of the strings in the crisis. He has doled out several millions of Naira to achieve his aim.
A lawyer from the Eastern part of Nigeria linked to the senator complained bitterly outside the court of appeal premises in Abuja on Wednesday that he has not been paid for two months in the Jimoh Ibrahim’s case, accusing Buruji of not being prompt in payment of his fees and retainer-ship.
Investigations showed that controversial business man Jimoh Ibrahim was just a political pawn in the chess game of Buruji Kashamu and co.
Jimoh Ibrahim hardly committed any money to the misadventure that has now become his political waterloo in Ondo state, while the ill fated campaign lasted, Jimoh was protected by a contingent of 37 riot police men who also behaved like tout from any imaginable banana republic. Although he also boasts of having several billion to discharge in the peak of battle, he hardly brought out any funds.
He was an open beneficiary of the flagrant corruption under the late Gen Sani Abacha. Major public asset owned by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly the national insurance corporation, NICON, was handed over to him for little or nothing.
But due to his poor managerial skills they became insolvent. He has several court rulings in regards to many of his properties. He owes workers a minimum of 8 months salary, in some of his establishment workers are owed for 3years. Yet he has a legendary erratic personality, he hires and fires on impulse. This same questionable billionaire would later promise Ondo people on the podium that nobody would pay a single tax in the state, how such a feat would have been achieved in an economy in recession would have been a puzzle for leading world economists.
The event that played out at the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State in May that gave credibility to the Ladi Adebutu faction of the party in Ogun State, against the faction led by Buruji Kashamu further acted as a catalyst for his resolve to bring down the Makarfi led group. Speaking in support of the Sheriff PDP faction, Buruji said, “We are witnesses of how activities have picked up at the National Secretariat since the emergence of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the secretariat that experienced a lull is now alive and busy with prolific character.”
The protracted crisis for the sole of the PDP in Nigeria in turn snowballed into complicated intrigues that led to the sabotage of Jegede’s gubernatorial train in Ondo state.
Jegede was the leading contender in the state but due to the well oiled trajectory of ego ambition on the part of Kashamu and certain ministers in the government of President Buhari, and a southwest governor, Eyitayo Jegede’s momentum was fundamentally slowed down in order for Akeredolu APC, candidate to gain advantage.
But instead of Akeredolu popular called Aketi to maximize the chances created by the Buruji and a certain minister in Buhari’s government’s conspiracy, a little known repackaged Alliance for Democracy, AD, fielding former PDP legal adviser, Olusola Oke, gained from the eye level dastardly plot.
But with the return of Eyitayo Jegede as the valid candidate of the PDP through the pronouncement of the court of Appeal on Wednesday, the race has now become anybody’s chance. The immediate announcement of Jegede as the de-facto flag bearer of the PDP immediately sent shock waves across the state, jubilant crowd took to the streets drumming and dancing and the PDP has immediately sprung into action a 24 hour door to door campaign.
Jegede returned to the state very early Thursday morning he was welcomed at the local Akure airport by jubilant party fiathfuls and independent admirers across the state.
Although Kashamu continue to face possible extradition hurdle for alleged involvement in international narcotics trafficking charges, a consortium of online investigative reporters has tracked his investment portfolio to places like Sazalau, in Republic of Benin, where he has a vast Cotton ginnery factory, with a net close to $2m as an agent for the Beninios government.
His other interests are located in Cotonou and Lagos; they covers hotels, real estate, management consulting, oil and gas. But how he continue to use his enormous wealth to destabilize Nigerian political landscape remains a matter of serious concern.
-PersecondNews