Four national working committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned N122.4 million paid to them as ‘rent allowance.’
Recall that earlier in the month, the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, had alleged that the party made about N14 billion from its primaries adding that the embattled national chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, was bent on presiding over its expenditure.
In the latest return of ‘suspicious’ lodgments in their account, some NWC members alleged that they got the strange alerts after they joined issues with the party on the whereabouts of over N10 billion realised as nomination fees during the party’s primaries.
According to The Nation, the N10 billion was said to have been depleted to N1billion in uncertain circumstances, leading to tension in NWC.
The report stated that those who returned their accommodation stipends were the deputy national chairman (south), Mr. Taofeek Arapaja (N36million); national vice chairman (southwest) Mr. Olusoji Adagunodo (N28,800,000); national woman leader, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe (N28,800,000); and national chairman, south-south, Mr. Dan Orbih (N28,800,000).
In a September 29, 2022 letter to the chairman, Arapaja said he decided to return his share of N36 million because he did not know what it was meant for.
He said he read an alleged “malicious story” that members of the NWC were “offered humongous amount of money to silent (sic) us over an allegation of financial misappropriation to the tune of N15 billion.”
“This led me to browse through my various alerts and I discovered a transfer of N36 million from the party.
“I have my reservation about this money transferred into my account and for personal reasons wish to return it accordingly,” he added.
For his part, Orbih, in a separate letter to Ayu, said: “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.”
Effah-Attoe, in her letter to Ayu dated September 29, 2022, said 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.
“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,” she wrote.
Adagunodo, in his letter entitled ‘Credit of N28, 000, 000: 00 (twenty-eight million, eight hundred thousand naira) into my account number 3098567123 by the party’ 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 (N28, 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. Most obliged.”
Reacting to the development, spokesman for the party, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, said the cash was not a bribe.
He said in a statement that the returned cash was meant for the NWC members’ housing allowance.
“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,” he said.
