By Mallam Isa Moussa
The news media has been inundated by several stories as regarding the PDP Nine Billion Naira only (N9B) raised during the last 2014 Nomination Exercises for the 2015 General Elections.
For the avoidance of doubt, the records must be set straight, this is against the backdrop of the tissue of lies being put out to the Public by the immediate past National Treasurer of the Party Alhaji Buhari Bala.
The following are the facts;
Sometime in 2014, the NWC of PDP enunciated a structure of collecting nomination fees from would be aspirants towards the 2015 General Elections. The procedure was that aspirants would transfer the prescribed nomination fee to either of the two different PDP accounts in Zenith or Skye Banks, then come to the Wadata Plaza with the evidence of such transfers, collect receipts from the Office of the National Financial Secretary before proceeding to the National Organizing Secretary Office to obtain the expression of interest and Nomination Forms. At the end of the Exercise a total of N11.8Bwas realized. The policy also created a separate account under the name MARUFI LTD. Where aspirants and state chapters paid in the sum ofN5,000.00, each for the election of the Three Man-Adhoc Delegates. This separate account grossed anotherN1.14B, so in all a total of aboutN12.9B was raised in the entire exercise.
This money was left untouched.
The December 2014, National Convention Committee headed by Dr. Haliru Bello was funded from other sources outside the Party. Also the Presidential Campaigns and Campaign run by the Party in various states was financed from donors outside the party. The Presidential Campaign organization was headed by Dr. Ahmadu Alli.
In effect the money raised by the PDP was intact and not affected by the 2014 National Convention or the Presidential Campaigns thereafter. In fact, the Presidential Campaign Organization gave money to the aspirants running for Senate and House of Representative to the tune of N30m and N20mrespectively.
The Party only started spending money immediately after the loss of the Presidential Elections. The Party was mandated then to finance the Governorship and HOA elections coming up the next Saturday. A novel arrangement of supporting the states withN150m each was worked out state. Whether this N150m got to the states or not is left for the states to collaborate. So many states like ABIA didn’t receive any money, some like Borno State got only N30m, yet the total amount of N5.4B left the Party’s accounts.
Then the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu resigned and handed over to his DeputyPrince Uche Secondus. At the time Secondus handed over to Sen Dr. Ali Modu Sheriff onlyN60m was left in the Party’s coffers. This money was just enough to pay 2 months’ staff salaries.
What is left for imagination was what happened to the huge sum left behind by Mu’azu. From the account of the Former National Treasurer Zonal offices were also given some money. It will be very important to provide evidence of any or such transfers to the zones.
Prince Uche Secondus needs to tell PDP members what happened to the huge some left behind by Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu but we can help to remind him of some of the transactions. The sum ofN125m was taken by him to buy Official Vehicles for himself as Acting National Chairman. Alhaji Buhari Bala one day withdrewN500m and without any vouchers, and his explanation was that the National Chairman needed the money.
In fact, the then National Auditor, Alhaji Adenyanju wrote a memo to the National Chairman expressing worries of how monies was being daily withdrawn from the PDP accounts without proper procedure and approval. In that memo he wondered the kind of training as an Accountant the National Treasurer, Alhaji Buhari Bala had. To show the level of financial recklessness that existed in the system, monies sent to the zones for example the South-East Zone where Col. Austin Akobundu had left as Zonal Chairman to occupy the Office of Minister of State Defence. He was still signing and collecting monies from PDP South-East Zonal accounts even as an Honorable Minister of the Federal Republic.
We join millions of PDP members worldwide who has cried for a Forensic Audit by the EFCC on the finances of PDP from 2014 to 2016. The revelations would be mind boggling and may go a long way from saving the party from the Lawrence Anini’s and the Monday Osunbor’s of our Party.
Lastly, we therefore align ourselves with former President Goodluck Jonathan who has warned the Party against election corrupt persons or looters of the Party who has cases at the EFCC to run its affairs. This will save the party from unnecessary embarrassment and constant harassment by the law enforcement agencies, thereby enabling the party to effectively play the role of the main opposition Party to the ruling APC.
