From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) members stirred the hornet’s nest last week, after they returned about N150 million paid into their accounts by the party leadership as “housing allowance”.
The NWC members, who are loyalists of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and his allies, include the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Alapaja; National Vice Chairman (South-south), Dan Orbih; National Vice Chairman, Olasoji Adagunodo and the National Women Leader, Stella Effah-Atoe and two other members, whose identities could not immediately be ascertained.
The refund has brought a new twist to the crisis rocking the major opposition party in the aftermath of the nomination of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Delta governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as its presidential and vice presidential candidates.
The crisis which polarized various organs of the PDP since June this year, has Governors Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Seyi Makinde of Rivers, Benue, Enugu, Abia and Oyo states, and other aggrieved party leaders on one hand, and Atiku, as well as the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu on the other hand.
The Wike group, which has remained resolute in its demand for Ayu’s replacement with a Southerner ahead of the 2023 presidential poll, had withdrawn from the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, recently, pending when their request would be met.
The NWC members in separate letters to the PDP National chairman, Ayu and the National Treasurer and dated September 29, 2022, said that their decisions to return the money was as result of media reports that claimed they have been induced financially by the leadership to keep quiet over alleged financial misappropriation at the national secretariat.
Curiously, almost all the party leaders who returned the money, claimed not to be aware that the fund was paid into their respective accounts.
For instance, Alapaja, in his letter to the national chairman, dated September 29, said that he decided to “browse” his account after a national daily reported that NWC members have been allegedly induced to keep quiet over alleged corruption in the party.
The party leader said: “This led me to browse through my various alerts, and I discovered a transfer of Thirty-Six Million Naira (N36,000,000) from the party. I have my reservation about this money transferred into my account and for personal reasons wish to return it accordingly.”
Similarly, Orbih, in his letter, also addressed to the national chairman, noted that the said publication among others, alleged “that members of the NWC were offered N28 million to gloss over scandalous financial misappropriation. To my shock and surprise, it has been confirmed to me by my bank that the sum of N28, 800,000. (Twenty eight million, eight hundred thousand Naira) 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”.
Similarly, Adagunodo, in his letter to Ayu, confirmed that N28,800,000, was credited to his account, saying “please be informed that the said payment has become a subject of media story and carried with bad intention by them.” Consequently, he noted that he has also refunded the money into the PDP account.
In the same vein, the PDP National Women leader in a different letter dated September 29, addressed to the party National Treasurer, entitled: “Refund of Funds into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) account,” stated “if you may recall, the sum of Twenty Eight Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Nalra (N28,800,000.00) only was paid into my account on the 14th of September, 2022.
“When I enquired from your office, I was told that the said sum is for Two (2) years house rent for me, as a member of the National Working Committee.
“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 side and the governor of Rivers State, H.E Governor Nyesom Wike’s group on the other side.
“In addition, some national newspapers/social media platforms have also carried stories accusing the NWC members of being placated with bribe of N28,800,000.00. “
Nevertheless, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said that what was paid to the party officials was their housing allowance and not bribe as insinuated in certain quarters.
Ologunagba explained that the payment went through due process.
According to him, “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 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 bribe or indicate that it was illegitimate or unlawfully paid”.
The explanation not withstanding, pundits say the party especially the national chairman and the presidential candidate should be worried.
Firstly, the development has put the party in a negative light.
This is a big blow for a political party that has been previously tarred with the brush of corruption, this is a blow to its image, especially at a time when electioneering for the 2023 polls was just beginning.
The PDP understands this. Consequently, leaders of the party have been making frantic efforts to mitigate the effects of the refund on the image of the party.
Analysts say the refund of the “rent” money by Wike men is also a strong indication that despite the efforts by the PDP to move without the Rivers governor camp, it would continually have members of the group to contend with as it goes into the election.
A source in the party told Sunday Sun that there is more to the refund of the money by the NWC members than meets the eyes.
“It is all politics. Otherwise, why did all of them decide to refund the money one day? It is clear they are not relenting in the fight against Ayu,” the source said.