Members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee have returned the N122.4 million that the leader of the main opposition party had deposited into their accounts.
According to media reports, Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the PDP, allegedly paid the NWC members more than N100 million after the party’s primary elections.
The sum was reportedly a portion of the more than N10 billion the party received from nomination fees paid by candidates.
The National Vice Chairman (South-West), Olasoji Adagunodo, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, the National Vice Chairman (South), Chief Dan Orbih, and the National Women Leader, Prof. Stella Affah-Attoe, are the NWC members that returned the funds.
While Adagunodo, Orbih, and Effah-Attoe each received N28.8 million, Arapaja received N36 million.
Orbi, however, claimed that his bank was the only one to notify him of the payment and provided no further details in a letter to the PDP leadership informing Ayu of the money’s return.
His letter dated Thursday read, “My attention has been drawn to a damaging trending story reported in THE NATION Newspaper by Yusuf Alli on September 26, 2022, titled “Disquiet in PDP NW over N10 billion nomination fees.”
“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.
“Kindly confirm receipt of Zenith Bank Manager’s cheques of: N10,000,000, N10,000,000, N8,800,000 TOTAL = N28,800,000 to the Party’s account. A/C: 1000095003, Globus Bank PLC.”
Also, Adagunodo in his letter to Ayu wrote, “Please be informed that the said payment has become a subject of media story and carried with bad intention by them.
“I hereby inform you of the refund of the Sum of Twenty Eight Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (#28,800,000:00) back to the Peoples Democratic Party, Account Number: 1000095003 at Globus Bank PLC. The receipt of the payment back to the account is attached.”
Effah-Attoe’s letter read, “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/ Wike’s Group on the other side.
“In addition, some National Newspapers/Social Media Platforms have also carried stories accusing the NC members of being placated with Bribe of N28,800,000.00.
“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.”
Arapaja wrote, “I observed a malicious story reported in the Nations Newspaper of 26t September 2022; where it was alleged that members of the National Working Committee were offered a humongous amount of money to silence us over an allegation of financial misappropriation to the tune of Fifteen Billion Nara (N15,000,000,000.00).
“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.
“I have my reservation about this money transferred into my account and for personal reasons wish to return it accordingly.”
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