The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has again defended the monies paid into the accounts of members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Naija News reports that some PDP NWC members announced the return of the sum of N93.6 million paid to their bank accounts after a media report claimed that the money was for inducement.
The PDP chieftains, in different statements, claimed that they received the notification of the payment from their bank accounts without any description or purpose.
Reacting, the PDP denied reports that the amounts returned by six members of the NWC members were paid as bribes, stating that funds were for their housing allowance.
In an interview with The Punch, the media aide to the PDP Chairman, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said it was a collective decision of NWC which they are part of to give each member a housing allowance.
He stated that the allowance is statutory and legal, adding that the money was paid into the accounts of the PDP NWC members three weeks ago.
Imobo-Tswam said some of the PDP NWC members collected the money and decided to return it after a media report claimed that it was meant for bribes.
He said: “They collected money and decided to return it after three weeks; that they didn’t know what the money was meant for. It was a collective decision of NWC which they are part of. The party has explained that the allowance is statutory.”
Some NWC Members Wanted Three Years Rent
Speaking further, Imobo-Tswam said some of the NWC members wanted three years but his principal refused to pay them, hence their anger.
The media aide stated that the party paid the NWC members and not Ayu, refuting allegations levied against his principal.
He said: “These people wanted three years (rent), but Ayu said no. Some of them said they had no money. Ayu did not pay them from his pocket; the party paid them.”
Imobo-Tswam stated that there is no reason for the calls for Ayu to leave office, saying that his principal has not committed any offence.
“Why should Ayu go? Because Governor Wike says so?” he queried.
This article was originally published on Naija News
