Last weekend, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Kashamu Buruji took his senatorial campaign to the nine local government areas in the zone. At the various councils where the campaign train visited, Kashamu promised that if elected, he would concentrate more on grassroots developmental projects.

He said the rural areas in the zone needs urgent and prompt development, saying he was canvassing for grassroots development because he was so much concerned about the people living in the rural areas of the zone.

Kashamu's first port of call was Ago Iwoye town where he paid a visit to the Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye. Also, at Ago-Iwoye, he visited the Muslim and Christians communities, market women, students, among others.  He crowned his visit to the Ago-Iwoye community with the donation of buses and cash. He said when it comes to relating with the grassroots, he and his party PDP are fully on the ground, promising to do more upon emergence.

Kashamu's campaign train moved round the senatorial zone and ended at the shoreline of the zone where a mega rally was held. Kashamu who was impressed by the large turnout of party members at the rally said it was a clear indication that people at the grassroots were ready for PDP and that "PDP is ready to win at all levels in the state."

On this note, he said ‎the era of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was over in the state, saying, "APC government is only interested in awarding contracts in the urban areas without considering the people at the grassroots.
"Whether there is election or not, I am not a seasonal politician. I have been with you all through the years, politics or no politics. You all know the various empowerment initiatives that we have done through the Omoilu Foundation.

"My dear good people of Ogun East, if I have done all these in my capacity as a private businessman, I promise to do even more when I am elected by you as a senator representing Ogun East senatorial district.

"In vying for public office, I neither seek fame nor wealth. I even do not seek power because the almighty Allah has been kind to me as a private citizen. The records are there for all to see. I offer myself for election so as to widen the horizon of my service to humanity," he added.

He, however, said if President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP win the coming elections, Waterside area of Ogun will witness wonders. "We must win in due course. Don't allow them to gag us. We are leading, we are more than them. They want to rig; we will not allow them to rig."

While presenting his programmes for the people of the zone, Kashamu said he has three key issues to deliberate at the National Assembly and they are: the creation of Ijebu State; The realisation of Olokola Free Trade Zone, and the revamping of the proposed Cargo Airport in Remo Division.

Speaking further, he said he was irrevocably committed to the realisation of the programmes and would do everything within his power as a legislator to make them possible.

"I will use my contacts to lobby various ministries, departments and agencies of government at the state and federal levels to bring worthwhile projects to Ogun East, in particular, and Ogun State, in general.

He implored the large crowd to vote all PDP candidates on the 28th of March and 11th of April 2015, saying "that is the only way we can achieve all these and many more. It is important to emphasise that voting for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in this election is imperative. This is because an opposition senator, no matter how committed, can only achieve very little for his people because there will be no genuine collaboration.

"In the same vein, our people must vote all PDP candidates in this election to bring about genuine cooperation and dividends of democracy for our people. I urge you all to vote PDP all the way," he said.

The state party chairman, Bayo Dayo, who accompanied Kashamu while addressing the party members, commended the INEC for the postponement of the elections because it would give those who are yet to get their PVCs time to have it.

According to him, “in every disappointment, there is a blessing. The disappointment is that we are supposed to have this election as planned but INEC told everybody that it has been postponed by six weeks.

"The postponement is because INEC is not yet ready for the elections. Of course, INEC said they are ready but the situation at hand, the security is not ready. Once that is not ready, INEC is not ready, coupled with the fact that many of our followers have not got their PVCs and without PVCs, we cannot vote.

"What is the percentage of people that actually have this PVCs? As I am talking to you here, my wife has not got her own card and we are going to vote. So we have many people like that in town. Many people have not got their PVCs.

"This is a very good thing for INEC; it is now left for INEC to get prepared, to make sure there is adjustment, to make sure that 90 per cent of eligible voters have their PVCs. I have not seen it anywhere in the world where you are preparing for an election and eligible voters do not have what it takes to vote.

"And as such, the leadership of the party has discussed and said our work continues. We should not sleep because we have a six-week interval before the election. We must go on with our campaign, we must go on with the house-to-house campaign which we have been doing all the while."

Dayo added that the party would continue its mobilisation drive with the distribution of kerosene and ‎bags of rice to all across the state. "‎All these are being done through the effort of our leader, Kashamu, and other leaders in the party. Come March 28, the election of the president must not suffer. We should all vote for the president. He is our candidate," he added.

Continuing, he said, "There are some Thomases doubting the integrity of some of our candidates. Do not let them deceive you. All you have to do for the president is to vote umbrella. For the governorship, you vote for umbrella.”

The governorship candidate of th‎e party, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, who also spoke said it was a known fact that Ogun Waterside local area is a major town and the economic hub of the state. He said the present government did not explore the economic value of the zone, stressing that all what APC government did was to be awarding contracts in the urban area.

He said ‎the Amosun-led government should have known how the Olokola Free Trade Zone would have contributed to the development of the state, mostly in the area of employment and revenue generation, adding that a PDP government started the project during former governor Gbenga Daniel, and that "By the grace of God, if elected next governor of the state, my government will complete the project."
According to him, “One thing I want to tell us is that we do not have enemy within. Our only common enemy at this point in time‎ is the man occupying Oke-Mosan and all their candidates. AMG is our acronym.

He therefore enjoined all the followers that as the election gets closer, everyone should see themselves as their brothers’ keepers within the party. "We are all the same. If there is any shortcoming, God will resolve it for us. We are one and the same under the big umbrella."
He commended Kashamu, whom he said indeed has spent quite a lot of funds to put things together in order to have a successful campaign, stressing that "the only party we have in Ogun state is PDP."

Speaking on the postponement of the election, Isiaka said "During this extension, we should not relent in our campaigns and mobilization. It is never over until it is over. We must continue it extensively between now and when the elections will hold in March and April.

"As at today, Ogun State has done less than 40 per cent regarding the collection of PVCs, meaning that out of every 10 registered voters only about four have collected their PVCs. That is the statistics we ‎got."

He appealed to the crowd that within the extension period, they should go and collect their PVCs and urged INEC to make sure that all that needed to be done is done. He added that with such, the people of the state would have access to their PVCs and nobody will be disenfranchised when the election comes up in March and April.

"As your candidate, let me assure you once again that all that needs to be done shall be done to ensure that we win back Oke-Mosan come April 2015," he added.