Reports have emerged detailing how members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) and Secretariat Staff approved and disbursed the controversial Housing Allowance.
Truetells Nigeria recalls that four senior members of the NWC namely: Taofeek Arapaja, Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Dan Orbih National Vice Chairman (South-South), Woman Leader, Prof. Stella Efface- Attoe, had returned sums ranging from N28.8m to N34m which was allegedly paid into their accounts without their knowledge.
The PDP NWC members had in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, expressed displeasure with a publication in a national daily that claimed that the money paid into their account was a bribe to secure their support to cover up an alleged financial impropriety.
This came days after Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, during a media briefing, had accused Ayu of collecting money from a presidential aspirant in Lagos and refusing to remit it to the party’s account.
There were also reports that monies made by the main opposition party from the sale of forms for various political positions could not be accounted for.
According to a document sighted by Vanguard, a total of N1.3 billion was approved by the party leadership for disbursement.
The decision was a sequel to a memo presented by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu at an NWC meeting attended by 13 NWC members while 6 members sent in apologies.
Those that sent in apologies include National Vice Chairman (South East), Chief Ali Odefa, his South-South counterpart, Dan Orbih as well as their counterparts from the South West, and North Central, Hon. Olasoji Adagunde and Theophilus Dakas Shan respectively.
Others were: National Woman Leader, Prof. Stella Efface-Attoe, and Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo.
The meeting was presided over by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Illiya Damagun, on behalf of the PDP National Chairman who was out of the country at the time.
The document read in part “Housing Allowance for NWC/ Staff: The National Secretary presented a memo requesting NWC to approve the payment of Housing allowance to members of the NWC and the Staff.”
In the comments section, the document read: “The National Vice Chairman NW, suggested that the memo be amended by separating Deputy National Officers from NWC and also said the housing allowance should be approved considering how much it would help members and staff.
“The National Treasurer commended the National Secretary for ensuring that staff were also beneficiaries of the housing allowance.
“The National Auditor suggested that the two-year salary set aside should be invested.”
Subsequently, “The NWC approved a total sum of N1 billion, three hundred and seventy-eight million two hundred and eleven thousand, five hundred and eight Naira (N1, 378, 211,506) Only for the payment of Housing Allowance to NWC, Deputy National Officers and Staff.”
