Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Politics

PDP Crisis: Ayu Replies Wike Over Alleged N1 Billion Bribe

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu has denied accusations by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that he collected N1 billion bribe from an undisclosed presidential aspirant.

Gatekeepers News reports Ayu said this on Friday, in response to Wike’s accusations, where the Governor referred to the money as a mere proposal.

Wike stated that the N1 billion was a proposed bank loan. He added that the loan proposal was to ensure the party has financial strength but the PDP leadership later dropped the idea after due consultations.

The Rivers State Governor, who lost the presidential ticket to PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at the party’s primaries in May, has so far refused to be swayed by entreaties to work with Ayu.

Wike had accused Ayu of collecting N1 billion from a presidential aspirant. Earlier today, Wike accused Ayu of also collecting N100 million from a PDP governor and collected N100 million from PDP for the same project.

However, Ayu while addressing journalists after the party’s Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, said he never collected N1 billion from anyone.

The PDP National Chairman said, “I want to make it clear that at no time did I, as the National Chairman of the party, collect any N1bn from anybody. When we came in and the party was having funding difficulties, the presidential candidate suggested that we should take a loan from the bank and the owner of that bank is a member of the party, he has even left the party.

“The party never took any loan from anybody. Any money advanced to the party was declared before the NWC and handed over to the National Treasurer. All our accounts are up to date and we promised to publish the accounts at the end of the year.“

Ayu added, “On today’s (Wike) allegations (N100 million), I fully briefed the BoT that one of our governors made a contribution of 100 million for the revival of the PDI which was housed in a portacabin and I explained to them that we hired an appropriate place in Asokoro, we have furnished it, renovated it.

“Three days later we went there, inspected it and the NWC decided that before commissioning we should invite the governor in question to come and inspect what we have done with his contribution.

“I am happy that the National Secretary of the party has since written a letter to that governor. I or the NWC never took any money to carry out that renovation, in fact, we have not even exhausted that N100 million given by one of the governors.“

He continued, “The consistent attack on my person since the end of the convention on the 31st of May. I have refrained from reacting as the father of the party I felt I should encourage reconciliation.

“But where it touches on my personal integrity or even my family members are brought into play I appeal to such people to desist from trying to malign my character or bringing my family into party affairs.”

You May Also Like

Business

Find below, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate for today, 28 March 2024. Gatekeepers News has obtained the official dollar to the naira exchange rate in...

Business

Find below, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate for today, 27 March 2024. Gatekeepers News has obtained the official dollar to the naira exchange rate in...

Business

Find below, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate for today, 26 March 2024. Gatekeepers News has obtained the official dollar to the naira exchange rate in...

Business

Find below, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate for today, 25 March 2024. Gatekeepers News has obtained the official dollar to the naira exchange rate in...