Buruji, Daniel Reconcile As Ogun Labour Party Merges With PDP
Indication emerged at the weekend that the opposition parties in Ogun State have decided to come together towards taking over the leadership of the state from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the forth coming general elections. NigerianEcho learnt that the leaders of the major opposition parties, Gbenga Daniel of the Labour Party, LP, and Buruji Kashamu of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, have reconciled to be able to present a common team to square it up with the incumbent Governor, Ibikunle Amosun of the APC.
Daniel and Kashamu fell out just before the 2011 elections which saw the former, a two term Governor of the State, moving to a relatively new party, Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, with his followers. PPN came third behind Kashamu’s PDP in an election won by Amosun of APC. Daniel who has moved to LP with his large followers has been having a running battle with the foundation members of LP who accused him of taking over “of their party “.
The latest development appears to be a political joker employed by Daniel to rally opposition leaders in the State in a bid to oust Amosun in 2015. Kashamu who had sworn not to have anything to do with Daniel was reported to have been prevailed upon by the Presidency and the duo are now allies again after years of acrimonious relationship.
The two were seen throwing banters at the southwest rally of PDP in Ibadan on Saturday, a development that the incumbent, Amosun should be worried about. NigerianEcho checks revealed that the National leadership of PDP brokered a peace meeting between Daniel and Kashamu which saw the major elective positions in the state divided between the two leaders.
It was agreed at the meeting that Kashamu would nominate two senatorial candidates while Daniel will nominate the third one which will be from Ogun East Senatorial district. The man to fly the flag of the party in the gubernatorial election will be determined by the National leadership of the party according to a source present at the reconciliatory meeting. Daniel, NigerianEcho gathered will not be running for the Senate as earlier speculated in the media. The former Governor was reported to be planning to give Senator Gbenga Kaka who is currently occupying the position his slot. Daniel’s ultimate desire is to see Amosun defeated in the general election.
The crisis rocking the ruling APC which had taken a worse turn has made the former leader of the party and former Governor Olusegun Osoba deflected to a new party, Action Group of Nigeria.
