The immediate past governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, is currently bracing up to take over from the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Kashamu Buruji, come 2019.
This is coming as a reliable source within the party confided in our correspondent that the leadership of the party were already rooting for Daniel to replace the senator.
Kashamu is currently at loggerheads with the party at both national and state levels. His faction of the party at the state level was recently recognised by the INEC as the authentic one but the leaders of the party, led by Prince Uche Secondus, is yet to come to terms with the INEC position.
The situation has made the party’s authorities to be looking for a way to discipline the senator whom they see as ‘Judas’ in the party.
The party’s national chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, in Abeokuta last week said the National Working Committee was ready to meet and take a frantic decision on the senator’s case.
Following this, the party leaders were said to have already concluded plans to ensure that Kashamu does not go back to the Senate in 2019.
A source in the party who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that Daniel who is already the campaign director of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, was being considered to replace Kashamu at the Senate next year.
“Kashamu definitely is not going back to the Senate next year because the party leadership has had Daniel on standby for that district. You know that Kashamu is with many sins and I wonder how he will cleanse himself from several anti-party activities he has executed in this state. Just wait and see what will become of him. 2019 is around the corner,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Senator Kashamu, in his response, has said his future as a senator in the party is not in anybody’s hand, except God’s.
Kashamu who spoke through his media aide, Mr Austine Oniypkor, said, “What Secondus said in Abeokuta has nothing to do with deciding anybody’s fate in 2019. He said they would follow the rule of law, that they would not allow impunity in the party. So if he said that, I don’t know how that has to do with Senator Kashamu.”
On the plan to ensure that Kashamu is denied a second term in the Senate, Oniypkor said, “Let me tell you, no human being can determine that. In fact, nobody can determine the next minute, not to talk of next year. Everything is in the hand of God.”