Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The All Progressives Congresses (APC) has dismissed a report that it has asked its governors to contribute N250 million each to enable it organise the forthcoming congresses and convention.
The party in a statement issued saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a story on the Premium Times under the above stated headline. The APC denies your story and wishes to state that the story is misleading and has misrepresented our party. We therefore wish to make the following clarification.â€
While explaining what transpired during the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the governors of the party held at its secretariat on Thursday it pointed out that many of the governors had fallen behind in the payment of their party dues.
“While some of the governors have been up-to-date with the payments, a few others have not paid at all. The governors were therefore requested to pay up, especially in view of upcoming party activities.
“It is therefore possible that a governor that falls in the category of those that has not paid since inception could owe up to N250 million. Therefore, it is grossly misleading, if not downright malicious, for your report to simply apply this sum to everyone and multiply by the number of governors.
“For avoidance of doubts, party dues are paid by all members of the party holding positions, either by election or appointment. Therefore, members of the National Assembly as well as cabinet ministers also remit a percentage of their earnings to the party. It is therefore false to say governors are expected to pay up with state money,†it said.
