Tobi Adebayo
The People’s Democratic Party has knocked a former member of its Campaign Committee, Kazeem Afegbua over his demand for the accountability of N10bn in party funds.
Speaking on Arise News programme monitored by THIS NIGERIA, PDP National Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan said contrary to Afegba’s claims, the party had accounted for every expenditure approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Where was Afegbua when the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, was accused of misappropriating party funds? Afegbua was a member of the APC during that period but he never brought it up or challenged Oshiomhole.
“Our party constitution demands that we submit audited accounts to INEC and we have done that. Why did Afegbua not point the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) towards Oshiomhole? Kazeem is only aggrieved because he wanted to be the Deputy Governor of Edo state and it didn’t happen. I can assure him that the National Leadership of the PDP cannot be distracted by an inconsequential blackmailer” Ologbodiyan said.
Responding to Ologbodiyan’s claims, Afegbua, while speaking on the same programme, said there was nothing wrong with raising concerns over the party’s finances, even if he was aggrieved over his inability to become deputy governor, as claimed by Ologbodiyan.
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“The leadership of the PDP were described as “tax collectors” by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in respect to the Edo Governorship election. I am not going to be distracted from the real issue, which is asking for accountability for the party’s finances.
“Party chapters in states where the governors are not PDP members are suffering. The leadership is not concerned about how their members are fairing. Ask Ologbodiyan if the monies budgeted for the different Directorates ever got to them. It is easy for him to come on air to be grandstanding. When we get to the EFCC, we shall give the specifics,” he said.
Afegba stated further that the party realised over N300m from the sales of forms for the Anambra Governorship election.
“There are other donations to the party, asides from revenue generated from the sales of forms. All these monies can be traced. They should realise that information meant to be kept secret will surely leak when the gathering is more than one. They have sent emissaries to me, pleading that I drop this case. This is not a personal fight for me. it is a fight for accountability and transparency,” he said.
