Contrary to the news making the rounds that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were bribed with over N122.4m to support the embattled National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, the party has cleared the air on the speculation.
PDP stated that the funds were for housing allowance for the members of the NWC.
This was contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba on Friday. He described the report as unfounded.
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 a bribe for any purpose whatsoever for that matter.”
“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 a bribe or indicate that it was illegitimate or unlawfully paid.
“A bribe is defined as ‘money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person’s performance as a public official…’. This is not the case in the payment of Housing Allowance duly approved for officials and staff of the Party.
“The PDP, therefore, urges all members, teeming supporters, and the general public to disregard the report and misleading insinuation which are clearly designed to malign the PDP, cause disaffection, and distract our party from our mission to rescue, rebuild and redirect our nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Debo Ologunagba said.
