Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, has said he did not at anytime collect N1billion from body, as chairman of the opposition party.
Ayu stated this, while speaking with journalists, shortly after a meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees ( BoT), on Friday, in Abuja.
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, had in a recent interview accused Ayu of collecting N1billion from from someone in Lagos. Similarly, Wike, in another interview, yesterday, accused the PDP chairman of collecting N100million from a governor for the renovation of the Peoples Democratic Institute ( PDI) and allegedly collecting another N100million from the party for same purpose.
However, Ayu said though he has refrained from responding to attacks on his person, in the aftermath of the party’s national convention, because he is the father of the opposition party, it is pertinent for him to address the allegations against him.
The PDP chairman said: “This is a meeting of the BoT which I am only a member; as allegations persist, it is an opportunity to clear the air. I decided not to respond not to encourage altercations in the party. However, I want to make it clear that at no time did I as the National Chairman of the party collect any N1billion from anybody.
“When we came in and the party has 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.
“On today’s allegations, I fully briefed the BoT that one of our governors made a contribution of 100million for the revival of the PDI which was housed in a porta-cabin and I explained to them that we hired an appropriate place in Asokoro, we have furnished it, renovated it.
Three days ago, 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.
Credit: Daily Sun