From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

Former Edo State commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua, has dragged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice and Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) over the management of the finances of the opposition party.

Afegbua, in a statement, yesterday, said he wants the anti-graft agencies to scrutinise the finances of the PDP under the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC).

According to him, the anti-graft agencies should probe the N10 billion allegedly accrued to the party’s purse from 2017 till date, especially those that were as a result of sales of nomination forms for presidential, gubernatorial, House of Assembly and senatorial elections.”

He alleged that the financial transactions of the PDP, under the leadership of Secondus, has allegedly been shrouded in mystery.

Afegbua also accused the Secondus-led NWC of using the bank account of Morufu Nigeria Limited in the sale of nomination forms in 2019,  instead of the party’s account.

Consequently, he charged the anti-graft agencies to ensure due diligence is carried out to safeguard Nigeria democracy and guarantee the interest of the party’s  members.

According to him, the PDP leadership should lead by example by ensuring there is transparency and accountability.

However, the PDP, in its reaction, dismissed the allegations as spurious and irresponsible.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party neither realised N10 billion from sale of forms nor operate any account with the name of Morufu Nigeria Limited.

Ologbondiyan, who spoke during a press conference at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, yesterday, said the opposition party has always follow due process in the management of its finances.

“The PDP did not raise Afegbua’s fictitious N10 billion as alleged by him. For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP generated N4.6 billion and raised a budget for its expenditure, in line with all known financial regulations of our party.

“As a law-abiding political party that respects the doctrine of rule of law and transparency, the budget was presented to the National Executive Committee (NEC) where it also received a final approval.

“It is imperative to state that all the sums received and budgeted for passed through the due process of approval by the necessary organs of the party.

“Moreover, the PDP has no account under the name or guise of Afegbua’s ghostly Morufu Nigeria Limited,” Ologbondiyan said.