Kashamu Manoeuvered Politics And Law To Evade Justice – Obasanjo

By Emmanuel Awosika

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday commiserated with Ogun Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun over the death of erstwhile PDP chieftain, Senator Endo Jinadu a.k.a Buruji Kashamu.

Obasanjo, in a condolence letter addressed to the Governor, had described Kashamu’s death as saddening, and offered condolences on behalf of himself and his family.

However, Obasanjo was disapproving of the late politician’s efforts to manipulate politics and the law to shield himself from justice.

“The life and history of the departed have lessons for those of us on this side of the veil. Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) in his lifetime used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.

“But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical manoeuver could stop the cold hand of death when the creator of all of us decides that the time is up.

“May Allah forgive his sins and accept his soul into Aljanah, and may God grant his family and friends fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” he said.

Obasanjo and Kashamu had always been at loggerheads while the latter was alive. In 2014, Obasanjo had made allegations that Kashamu was a drug trafficker and a fugitive in the United States, claims Kashamu had denied vigorously.

Kashamu had gone further to file a libel lawsuit against Obasanjo in 2014, asking for N20 billion naira in damages. The suit was later withdrawn in June 2015.

In the same year (2014), Obasanjo wrote to then Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, that he would leave the party if Buruji Kashamu was left in charge of the local branch of the party in Ogun State.

He said, “Buruji Kashamu has been so extolled in PDP in South-West geo-political zone which I personally find unsavoury. Politics played by any national political party must have morality, decency, discipline, principles and leadership examples as cardinal practices of the party.

“While I continue to remain a card-carrying member of PDP, I cannot and I will not subscribe to a wanted habitual criminal being installed as my zonal leader in the party; a criminal for whom extradition has been requested by the US government. In the meantime, I will consider withdrawing my activity with PDP at local, state, zonal and national levels until the anomalous and shameful situation is corrected.”

Apparently, the party’s hierarchy had ignored Obasanjo’s request, forcing the latter to make good on his threat. The ex-president publicly tore his card at a press conference at which he announced his departure from the party.