Ogun Politics Towards 2019: Chief Paseda's Visit to Senator Kashamu - Badero Olusola

Chief Rotimi Paseda and Senator Buruji Kashamu

Chief Rotimi Paseda is a chieftain of UPN and was their flag bearer in the 2015 governorship election in Ogun state.


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Immediately after the election, feelers from the state was, Paseda met Amosun and cut a deal to support his government.

True to his words, Paseda called on most vocal members of his party and supporters to stop criticising Amosun on the social media. In fact, I have a good friend of mine who contested under UPN in 2015 that Paseda stopped talking to because he won't stop criticising APC and Amosun.


Few days ago, Chief Paseda was seen at Omo Ilu program in Ijebu Igbo where Senator Kashamu, a PDP mobiliser, reign supreme. He was well received by the leaders and members of the organisation. Prior to his visit, there were different messages shared on the social media, inviting interested members of the public to a meeting in Ijebu Igbo. What many didn't know is the visit and adoption of Paseda as the sole Omo Ilu/PDP candidate for 2019 race.

The report was, Chief Paseda was single habdedly adopted by Kasamu and PDP as the governorship candidate of the party in 2019.

Chief Paseda is from Ijebu, Eastern part of the state. The agitation that prompted Kasamu to adopt Gboyega Isiaka as PDP guber candidate in 2015 was the "Yewa/Awori Agenda".

Yewa/Awori are people from the Western part of the state - a region that has never produced a state governor in the 40yrs of the state creation.

An insider told me of how Kasamu insisted that GNI must be at the meeting hosted in honour of Paseda - and ultimately his adoption. GNI was the party's candidate in 2015 and is from Yewa.

What I don't get is this;

Whose interest is PDP working for towards 2019?

Dimeji Bankole had his own campaign team uncovered last weekend and insisted he's not leaving PDP.

A meeting called by OGD at his Sagamu home last December had few of Buruji's men in attendance. And the purpose of the meeting was how to bring all the groups together and form a bond before 2019.

The question is;

Is OGD also part of Paseda's endorsement by PDP?

Or they are all on another collision course like 2015?

Senator Yayi on his part is roaring from the West and with what I've gathered so far about him, he is not coming as a party aspirant; but as regional candidate - someone coming in the name of the whole region. He is now mobilising people virtually, everywhere - PDP, SDP, APC and even independent pressure groups. He's met with royal father from his region and as things stand now, they are all going to speak in the same voice. No wonder the relationship of Olu of Ilaro and Amosun remained strained to this day. (a story for another day!)

If Paseda going to Kasamu is another plot of Amosun to destabilise PDP, by using the real players in PDP and then have more time to himself in taming this lion roaring from the west and indirectly cut the King of Bourdillon to size once and for all. Don't forget, Amosun want to be the Southwest leader of APC in place of Tinubu?

How many of the PDP leaders are thinking of this?

Let me make it easier for you reading this;

Paseda going to Omo Ilu, there are two things involved;

1. It is either he's going there as a mole to spy for Amosun; based on his previous relationship with Amosun. Or;

2. He is no longer with Amosun and want to use the PDP's influence in his region (East) to his advantage in the race towards 2019.

But the truth of the matter is this; Paseda can never be a governor in this modern Ogun state. Before you get a seizure, read my reasons;

For the fact that OGD was governor for 8 years; Amosun would have spent 8 years by 2019, the odd will be in the favour of Yewa - more importantly the near miss they had in 2015. So every political party that knows it's onions won't make a mistake of picking their candidates from another region.

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Paseda is from the East; 2015 elections showed the strength of each political party and PDP was second in that regard, based on their votes in the East. But APC was able to win some local governments there when PDP had no show at the APC stronghold, CENTRAL. Even in the West where their candidate came from, the APC threat there was impressive. So, Chief Paseda joining Omo Ilu is to me is either;  Amosun plot to control whatever is left of PDP, with the full understand or ignorance (either way) of the PDP leaders; or the chief is about to be scammed, again!

Maiyegun General