Anambra: Allegations of Fraud Trails N276mn Made From Sale of PDP Nomination Forms
- Allegation of fraud is now trailing the Peoples Democratic Party after the sale of nomination forms for the Anambra governorship election
- Some party members are said to be unhappy over how the funds were allegedly misappropriated by the PDP leadership
- The aggrieved members also alleged that some key officials of the party were sidelined when the funds were disbursed for various purposes
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
FCT, Abuja - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is said to be heading towards another crisis over N276 million raised from the sales of nomination forms for the Anambra state gubernatorial election.
Fillers from the party indicate that electoral officers who participated in the Anambra PDP gubernatorial primary exercise are unhappy over the inability of the party to pay them the N100, 000 traveling allowance budgeted for the exercise, nearly one month after conducting the exercise.
Source: Getty Images
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Monies missing in party's coffers
This is coming after about N300 million was realised from the state in one month.
The officers who craved anonymity for fear of being victimised alleged that N30 million was budgeted for the Anambra exercise.
According to them, they used their personal money to travel to Anambra for the exercise, pay for their accommodation as well as fed themselves, yet the party has been unable to pay their travel costs.
According to the budget approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for the Anambra state gubernatorial forms cited shows that N41.4 million was paid to the Anambra state chapter of the party as 15% payment and N13.8 million was given to the southeast zonal chapter as its 5% as enshrined in the party’s electoral guidelines.
Staff salaries and emoluments for a period of four months amounting to N64 million was also budgeted for.
In spite of the amount allocated for salaries, the personnel of the party had to wait for two weeks to receive the month of June salary that was paid in two tranches in July.
About N30 million went in for cost for utilities, securities, and secretarial duties while the National Working Committee took N75 million for its activities, meetings, travels, allowances, and others.
Also, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party were allocated N10million for general administration while Special Public Perception Advocacy and Visibility Project got N30 million.
The party’s organisation and mobilisation unit got N30 million which is to cover the entire cost for the 2021 Anambra state gubernatorial primary election process including honorarium for the various statutory committee activities.
While the publicity unit was allocated the sum of N15 million for the publication of the delegates list for the primary election process, press conferences, social media, and media engagement.
Party officials react angrily
One of the electoral officers who spoke to Legit.ng on the condition of anonymity confirmed that after complaining to the national secretary of the party, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri over the non-payment of their allowance, the national treasurer, Hon. Aribisala Adewale responded that there is no money left.
The national youth leader of the party, Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoy, irked by the development during the NWC meeting was said to have questioned the way monies are been spent without the knowledge of the national secretary, who is the chief accounting officer of the party.
According to a member of NEC who also prefers his name not mentioned due to the sensitivity of the matter, frowned at the current state of affairs in the party and lampooned the Uche Secondus-led NWC for dragging the party into another financial mess.
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigations on at least 10 expenditure items in the PDP’s financial records.
The probe was followed by a petition filed by a now-expelled member of the PDP, Kassim Afegbua.
Afegbua had alleged that the party leadership is yet to account for N10billion funds realised from the sale of nomination forms before the 2019 general elections.
Recall that weeks after the allegations were made, the PDP announced the expulsion of Afegbua for alleged anti-party activities.
Afegbua's expulsion was disclosed in a letter by the Edo state chairman of PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, addressed to the PDP national chairman.
The Edo chapter of the party explained that it took the decision after the chieftain failed to appear before all the disciplinary committees set up by the chapter in Edo state.
Source: Legit.ng
