*Party insists there was no fraud, money housing allowance for its officials

By Adamu Haidara, Abuja

Six members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have refunded N177.6 million to the coffers of the opposition party.

The money was shared to the party leaders. The money range from N28 million to N36 million each.

The money was part of N15 billion nomination fees paid by aspirants for various offices in 2023.

Those who have returned the money at press time, include:
1. Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja: Deputy National Chairman South.
2. Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe. National Woman Leader.
3. Chief Dan Osi Orbih, National Vice Chairman South-South.
4. Dr. Alli Odefa, National vice Chairman South-West.
5. Hon Olasoji Adagunobi-Oluwatukesi, National vice chairman South-West.
6.Hon Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary.

In a bid to wash their hands off the mess, the NWC members feigned ignorance that the money was paid into their accounts.

Some of them stated that they had to check various alerts they got after a national newspaper, The Nation, published the messy sharing.

The irony is that, they were unaware that huge sum of N28 million and N36 million were paid into their accounts.

A source said the members agreed on the sharing of the money. “It was not an express instruction from the National Chairman, Iyorcha Ayu. All the NWC members agreed to the sharing of the money,” a source told The Conclave.

*PDP Refutes Bribery Allegations Over Returned Housing Allowance 

The PDP-NWC in a statement by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said the news story was amisrepresentatio of what actually happened.

In a statement, he said the news report “alluding strange and unfounded motives to the Housing Allowance duly approved and paid to NWC members and staff of the Party”, is untrue. 

According to him, “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 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”.