The immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Diran Odeyemi, said the funds paid into the accounts of some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are illegal.
Naija News reports that six PDP NWC members announced the return of the sum of N93.6 million paid to their bank accounts by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
The PDP chieftains, in different statements, claimed that they received the notification of the payment from their bank accounts without any description or purpose.
Reacting, the PDP denied reports that the amounts returned by six members of the NWC members were paid as bribes, stating that funds were for their housing allowance.
In a statement by its spokesman on Thursday, Debo Ologunagba, the opposition party said the money went through due process before being paid into their accounts.
Speaking on the matter in an interview with The Punch, Odeyemi said the money paid into the bank accounts of the PDP NWC members was an inducement.
He stated that the money was meant to bribe the NWC members not to follow Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his allies.
Odeyemi also refuted claims by the party that the money was for their housing allowance, adding that party officials do not get appointment letters upon their election.
He said, “There is no letter of appointment. In our time and even now, there is no letter of appointment. The money was meant to pacify the NWC members not to follow Wike and (Governor of Oyo State, Seyi) Makinde.
“But the Wike group got wind of this and blew it out. They should just own up and stop playing smart. They have spent close to a year in office, why is it now that the party suddenly wants to pay their rents?”
Odeyemi warned that there could be danger ahead should the leadership of the party ignore Wike’s camp, while going about the presidential campaign.
He added: “They can’t call the NWC meeting now because they don’t want Wike to embarrass them. As a result, their focus now is the campaign and because Wike and Makinde are not in the presidential campaign council, they will be running the party without them. This will not be good enough for the PDP.”
Add Comment