PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur

By Chuks Okocha

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Thursday denied that he received N1 billion from the governors of Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Adamawa States for the funding of his 77th birthday and book launch ceremony.

He described the allegation as an ‘imagination of the media and acts of blackmail against him.’

A social media had reported that the funding for the birthday and book launch that heralded the ceremony was sponsored by four PDP governors of Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa who contributed N250 million each for the occasion.

Special Adviser to the PDP National Chairman, Osaro Onaiwu, and Special Assistant (Media), Mohammed Ujuddu, in two separate statements, said no governor contributed to the birthday celebration. 

The aides said the report was geared towards blackmailing and depriving Tukur of his popularity among PDP supporters and ultimately distract him from his reformation agenda.

Onaiwu said: “The funding of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s birthday and book launch came from friends and business associates of the chairman.

The party did not contribute a single kobo towards it. It was the media that said that the governors boycotted the birthday and book launch, yet, the same media said that the governors funded the birthday ceremony.

“If the governors of Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe States contributed N250 million to fund the ceremony, then, they would have been the first to be there at the occasion. For the records, no governor contributed a kobo and this is verifiable.

“What are we using N1 billion for in the organising a birthday and book launch?”

On his part, Ujudud described the allegation as false and the imagination of those concerned.

He explained that no governor or group of governors from the North-east zone, where Tukur hails from, made any financial contribution at the book launch.

He added that Tukur never requested or solicited for monetary donations for the launch of the book from any state government, public officer or private individuals.
He stated that all donations were voluntarily made by family members and friends who arranged and fully sponsored both ceremonies.

He, therefore, described the report as “a piece of fiction and junk journalism which has become a thriving pastime for some sections of the media.”

He appealed to on-line media to stop exploiting readers’ occasional disposition to their news to cast aspersion on individuals.