A former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, today petitioned the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, alleging attempt on his life
by a Nigerian senator, Buruji Kashamu.
According to the petitioner, some domestic and security aides were physically assaulted, but no one died in the incident, which occurred on Thursday around 9:13 p.m.
The politician blamed Mr. Kashamu for the alleged incident, which he said occurred at his residence in the Abuja neighbourhood of Maitama.
But Mr. Kashamu has denied the allegations, castigating Mr. Daniel as an “irresponsible” politician desperate for political relevance.
Abuja police spokesperson, Anjuguri Manzah, has told PREMIUM TIMES he had not been briefed about the incident, promising to ‘revert upon internal inquiries.’
The former governor said his alleged assailants knew he was in Abuja for theinauguration of a new caretaker committee for troubled Ogun Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Wednesday, but “they didn’t know he had left on Thursday morning for Ibadan where the party’s national executive welcomed new defectors.”
Mr. Daniel linked the alleged incident to Mr. Kashamu, who has been his political rival for years. In the petition, he also listed perceived transgressions carried out against him by Mr Kashamu.
Mr. Kashamu’s spokesperson, Austin Oniyorkor, denied the allegations on behalf of his principal, Friday evening.
“It’s shocking and laughable,” Mr. Oniyorkor told PREMIUM TIMES on the telephone.
“That OGD would just wake up and level all these allegations without any shred of evidence shows his hallucinatory state of mind.”
Mr. Oniyorkor said the former governor failed to “heed acceptable procedures, even if his claims were true.”
“Even if there was an attempt on his life, what any responsible person would do is to report to the authorities to investigate the incident.
“But OGD has become the accuser, the investigator and the judge in his own case,” he said.
The spokesperson said Mr. Daniel is “fuming because he’s no longer viable in contemporary Nigerian politics.”
He added that Mr. Kashamu has no history of violence.
“He is looking for someone to drag along with him in his fall into political oblivion.
“It’s a matter of public record that Senator Kashamu does not have any history of violence, whatsoever. It was during OGD era that the whole of Ogun State was under siege of violence and politically-motivated killings,” he said.
Mr. Daniel is the latest politician from Ogun State to level assassination claims against Mr. Kashamu, who has evaded extradition to the United States on drugs charges for years.
A similar claim against him by Oladipo Adebutu, a serving federal lawmaker, is still pending at the Federal High Court.
According to the petitioner, some domestic and security aides were physically assaulted, but no one died in the incident, which occurred on Thursday around 9:13 p.m.
The politician blamed Mr. Kashamu for the alleged incident, which he said occurred at his residence in the Abuja neighbourhood of Maitama.
But Mr. Kashamu has denied the allegations, castigating Mr. Daniel as an “irresponsible” politician desperate for political relevance.
Abuja police spokesperson, Anjuguri Manzah, has told PREMIUM TIMES he had not been briefed about the incident, promising to ‘revert upon internal inquiries.’
The former governor said his alleged assailants knew he was in Abuja for theinauguration of a new caretaker committee for troubled Ogun Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Wednesday, but “they didn’t know he had left on Thursday morning for Ibadan where the party’s national executive welcomed new defectors.”
Mr. Daniel linked the alleged incident to Mr. Kashamu, who has been his political rival for years. In the petition, he also listed perceived transgressions carried out against him by Mr Kashamu.
Mr. Kashamu’s spokesperson, Austin Oniyorkor, denied the allegations on behalf of his principal, Friday evening.
“It’s shocking and laughable,” Mr. Oniyorkor told PREMIUM TIMES on the telephone.
“That OGD would just wake up and level all these allegations without any shred of evidence shows his hallucinatory state of mind.”
Mr. Oniyorkor said the former governor failed to “heed acceptable procedures, even if his claims were true.”
“Even if there was an attempt on his life, what any responsible person would do is to report to the authorities to investigate the incident.
“But OGD has become the accuser, the investigator and the judge in his own case,” he said.
The spokesperson said Mr. Daniel is “fuming because he’s no longer viable in contemporary Nigerian politics.”
He added that Mr. Kashamu has no history of violence.
“He is looking for someone to drag along with him in his fall into political oblivion.
“It’s a matter of public record that Senator Kashamu does not have any history of violence, whatsoever. It was during OGD era that the whole of Ogun State was under siege of violence and politically-motivated killings,” he said.
Mr. Daniel is the latest politician from Ogun State to level assassination claims against Mr. Kashamu, who has evaded extradition to the United States on drugs charges for years.
A similar claim against him by Oladipo Adebutu, a serving federal lawmaker, is still pending at the Federal High Court.
Premium Times
Comments
Post a Comment