The in-fighting within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened ahead of the December 9 convention when the party’s national chairman is supposed to be elected.
One of the issues currently tearing the party apart is a controversial but alleged embezzlement of N11 billion by its immediate National Working Committee (NWC).
The amount was reportedly generated by the former national chairman, Adamu Muazu.
According to The Nation, revelations showed that N730 million was inherited by the sacked national chairman of PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
The report said documents were obtained showing that the Muazu administration generated about N11 billion from nomination forms for the 2015 general elections.
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“We actually generated over N11 billion from the nomination forms for 2015 general elections during the tenure of the former national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu.
“Since no campaign funds came from either the presidency or the presidential campaign organization of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, the party only relied on what it realised.
“About 30 percent was allocated to state and local government chapters for the 2015 elections. All candidates of the party were also assisted out of the cash by the party.
“Liabilities arising from the 2015 general elections were also paid by the party because immediately we lost the poll, the presidency was no longer there for the party. Many leaders and members of the party were paid allowances from the cash.
“The good thing is that all the payment vouchers were duly signed by all party leaders, candidates and those who rendered services to PDP in one form or the other.
“Out of the cash, only about N500million was spent by the party when Prince Uche Secondus was the acting national chairman of PDP.
“And by the time Sheriff took over as the national chairman, he inherited about N730 million to run the party.
“The highlights of the expenses are contained in the Audited Report which has been presented to all the organs of the party and relevant caucuses. And they were all satisfied with the report.
“A team from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also audited the accounts of the party without raising issues,” a source in the party reportedly said.
“Many leaders benefited from the cash and the national convention delegates are free to raise issues and we will present the audited report,” the source added.
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However, in his reaction, the former national treasurer of the party, Buhari Bala, has denied that any such fund was misappropriated or misapplied.
Bala said all the organs of the party are aware of its spending and financial position.
“It’s very clear from the story that the author is acting on ignorance or may have set out for a deliberate mischief as no such money of the party was left by Muazu nor misappropriated by anybody.
“If the media house was not in a hurry to achieve a purpose it would have tried to ask the appropriate channel for explanation as the party’s audited report during the period under review was available.
“An accounting audit firm audited the accounts of the party and expressed their opinion on the accounts.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also sent in their own appointed auditors to inspect the books of the accounts of the party. They all gave clean bill of health to the books of accounts of the party. Same was reported to all relevant organs of the party.
“I believe that the ongoing politics in the party towards electing a new NWC may have informed the inaccurate publications but I want to state unequivocally that it is based on false ground and cannot influence members of the party because leaders are privy to the correct situation," he said in a statement.
We earlier reported that a faction of the PDP in the southwest warned the party not to stop it from presenting the zone’s delegates to the December 9 national convention.
It was gathered that the chairman of the faction, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, gave the warning at a media briefing in Lagos on Monday, November 20.
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