By our correspondent
Crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has worsened with some party members dragging the leadership before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of misappropriation of funds, theft, forgery among others.
The party members, under the aegis of the Forum of PDP Candidates and Aspirants for 2023 Elections, have sent a petition to the Commission’s chairman on the matter.
The petition dated September 30, 2022 was jointly signed by the forum’s Coordinator, Chris Ogbu; Secretary, Dauda Yusuf; and Publicity Secretary, C. Ikenta.
Specifically, the petitioners asked the Commission to investigate and prosecute the party leaders over allegation of criminal misappropriation of
party’s fund, unlawful disbursement of funds, bribery and falsification of
documents.
Those the petitioners want investigated are Senator Iyorchia Ayu (the National Chairman), Senator Samuel Anyanwu (the National Secretary) and Umar Iliya Damagnum (the Deputy National Chairman (North).
The petition read in part, “It is a matter of national and international embarrassment that the aforementioned
members of the National Executive Committee of the Party, without the due authorization of the NEC, has criminally mismanaged and frittered over N10 billion which the party realised from the sale of Nomination Forms during the
party primaries.”
“They had also engaged in various acts of bribery and extortion of
candidates without regard to the firm stand of the party in the fight against corruption.
“This allegation is backed up with the recent development of refund of various sums of money by some members of the National Working Committee who unknowingly received the alleged bribe from the trio of Senator Iyorchia
Ayu (the National Chairman), Senator Samuel Anyanwu (The National Secretary) and Umar Iliya Damagnum (The Deputy National Chairman (North) into their various accounts without their consent or authorization.
“Copies of letters, returning back the alleged bribe to the our party’s account are herein annexed and marked as Exhibit A series.
“It is even more disturbing that after the due nomination of candidates, Senator Iyorchia Ayu (the National Chairman), Senator Samuel Anyanwu (The National Secretary) and Umar Iliya Damagnum (The Deputy National Chairman – North have now resorted to fraudulently swapping the names of lawfully nominated candidates of the party with names of candidates that lost
primaries, all in exchange for bribes and other forms of gratifications.
“Based on the heavy allegations of monumental acts of misappropriation of party
funds, financial recklessness, unauthorized disbursements of funds, bribery, forgery, swapping and racketeering of nomination of candidates, abuse of office
and gross misconduct in the performance of their respective duties, some members
of the National Executive Committee, such as Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja Deputy National Chairman – South) has honourably returned the sum of N36 million illicitly transferred to his bank account without his consent or
knowledge in furtherance of the embezzlement so also three other members of NWC whose letters are contained in Exhibit A series above.
“We make bold to state that our great party has never witnessed corruption of this magnitude since its formation and this unfolding show of shame have further
damaged the esteemed image and public perception of our Party ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
“There is therefore an extremely urgent need, in the overall national and our party’s interest, for your Commission to move in immediately and investigate the alleged financial crime of humongous magnitude and possibly charge all that are culpable
to court of competent jurisdiction to serve as a deterrent to others who may have suh plan of commission of same crime ahead of 2023 general election.
“This is not only in the interest of the party but also will save our nation from the
national embarrassment before the commity of nations.”
Meanwhile, fear has gripped the affected party officials over the petition.
Already, the party’s NWC is said to be divided over the matter with some members already moving against the three officials.
