Politics
By Anthony Isibor
SOME members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Working Committee, NWC, members have started returning the controversial money paid into their accounts to the party after The nation newspaper had reported on Monday that some of them were paid N28 million each to silent them over the whereabouts of the N10 billion generated from the sale of nomination forms.
Those, who have so far returned their emergency stipends, were the Deputy National Chairman, South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, N36 million, National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Olusoji Adagunodo, N28,800,000, National Woman Leader Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe, N28,800,000, and National Chairman, South South, Dan Orbih, N28,800,000.
While some of the members said they had to check through their bank accounts after the report from the newspaper and the others said they were told that the money was for a- two-year house rent.
In a letter dated September 29, 2022, addressed to Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the party, and titled “Return of thirty-six million Naira, N36,000,000.00, housing allowance paid into my account by the PDP, Ambassador Arapaja said he decided to retuen the money after he observed a malicious story reported in the Nation Newspaper of 26th September, 2022; where it was alleged that members of the National Working Committee were offered humongous amount of money to silent them over an allegation of financial misappropriation to the tune of Fifteen billion naira.
“This led me to browse through my various alerts, and I discovered a transfer of Thirty-six million naira (N36,000,000.00) from the party. 29th September, 2022.
“I have my reservation about this money transferred into my account and for personal reasons wish to return it accordingly.
“Kindly confirm the receipt of UBA Electronic Transfer of the Thirty-Six million naira (N36,000,000.00) attached herewith,” he said.
Similarly, Orbih, in another letter to Ayu, said the money was confirmed by his bank to be lodged in his account to his surprise.
“To my shock and surprise, it has been confirmed to me by my bank that the sum of N28,800,000 has been credited to my account by the party.
“I hereby notify you of my decision to pay back the money to the party’s account.”
Also, Prof. Effah-Attoe, the National Woman Leader of the party, in another letter to Ayu, dated September 29, 2022 revealed that although she was told that her own N28,800,000 was for a two-year house rent, she had not been comfortable with developments after the payment of the cash.
She wrote: “If you may recall, the sum of N28,800,000 was paid into my account on the 14th of September, 2022. When I inquired from your office, I was told that the said sum was for two years house rent for me as a member of the NWC.
“Since after the lodgment of the money into my bank account, I have been inundated with many phone calls from party members, friends, family members and the general public insinuating that the said money has been given as a bribe to bring me and other NWC members on the side of the national chairman, following the crisis between him on one hand and the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike’s group on the other side.
“In addition, some national newspapers and social media platforms have also carried stories accusing the NWC members of being placated with bribe of N28,800,000.
“This development has made me very uncomfortable, having found myself in such an embarrassing situation. I am hereby refunding to the bank account of our great party at the PDP National Secretariat.
“At an appropriate time, when things normalize, whatever is due to me as my house rent could be paid to me.”
In his own letter, Adagunodo explained that he was returning the money to the party because the payment has become a subject of media story with bad intention.
In his letter to Ayu, he wrote, “I hereby inform you of the refund of the sum of Twenty Eight Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N28,800,000:00) back to the Peoples Democratic Party, Account Number: 1000095003 at Globus Bank PLC.
However, in a new development, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a swift reaction, said that the returned cash was meant for NWC members housing allowance.
According to a statement by Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesman, the money was not a bribe.
Part of the statement reads:
“The attention of the NWC of the PDP has been drawn to misrepresenting reports in a section of the media alluding strange and unfounded motives to the housing allowance duly approved and paid to NWC members and staff members of the party.
“The NWC has noted that this misleading report stemmed from an unfounded publication by a particular media outlet which suggested that the housing allowance, an entitlement duly approved and paid to national officials and staff of the party amounted to bribery.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP states in an unequivocal term that no funds were paid into the account of any member of the NWC as a bribe for any purpose whatsoever for that matter.
“To set the record straight, the housing allowance being referred to went through the due process of the party in line with the conditions of service and entitlement of the staff and principal officers of the party.
“If any individual, for any reason decides to return money duly approved and paid, such does not in any way suggest that the money was paid as a bribe or indicate that it was illegitimate or unlawfully paid.
“A bribe is defined as money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person’s performance as a public official.
“This is not the case in the payment of housing allowance duly approved for officials and staff of the party.
“The PDP, therefore, urges all members, teeming supporters and the general public to disregard the report and misleading insinuation which are clearly designed to malign the PDP.”
While the party’s crisis continues to deepen, reports show that all those who have rejected the stipends belong to the aggrieved camp of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, which has been calling for the sack of the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
A.I
Tags: Dan Orbih Debo Ologunagba Governor Nyesom Wike Iyorchia Ayu Olusoji Adagunodo Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe Taofeek Arapaja
