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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign council, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has described members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) who returned the money given to them as housing allowance, as being childish.
Four members of the NWC received the sum of N36 million and N28.8 million in their bank accounts, a development described as surprise alerts by some of them.
However, the NWC members returned the money following reports of bribery allegations.
Those who returned the money include the Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; the National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih; PDP National Women Leader, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe and the National Vice Chairman (South West), Honourable Olasoji Adagunodo. While Arapaja returned N36 million, the three others returned N28.8 million each.
Speaking on the incident while featuring on Channels Television Programme, ‘Sunrise Daily,’ Pearse said they (NWC members) did that to blackmail Ayu.
He said: “That is another childish behaviour on the part of those involved, when did they receive the money? When did they now decide to return it and make it public? Something funny is going on.
“Did you read what the money is all about? That these members of the committee do not receive salaries. So, whenever money are made, maybe through elections or buying forms, they were given stipends. Is it the first time they are receiving money? Why are they returning it now?
“These people were not bribed, it’s money they normally receive. They returned the money because they are angry with the situation, they want to pressurise the man (Ayu) to get off.”