HURIWA Urges EFCC to Arrest Ayu, PDP NWC Members over Alleged N122.4m Bribe

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

A civil rights group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Friday, asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) National Working Committee members and the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over the return of alleged N122.4 million bribe.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, described as despicable the alleged grand larceny and graft ongoing within the PDP under Ayu, especially the allegation that he gave N122.4 million to four NWC members to silence them over an allegation of financial misappropriation to the tune of N15 billion realised from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms by aspirants that participated in the PDP primary in May, this year.

According to HURIWA, the fact that the party has not come out to deny the allegations made by at least four members of the PDP showed that there is an unprecedented corruption ongoing within the PDP.

“For PDP to maintain that the payments were regular and legal is a slap on the faces of decent citizens because it is inconceivable for elected office party leaders who ought to be accomplished men and women doing their profitable careers and professional vocation to now be said to be paid accommodation allowance is to stand logic on its head. 

“Do they want to tell us that these officials sent accommodation allowances or whatever called, were hitherto homeless before they got elected into the NEC of the PDP and if they are homeless, what kind of mansion would cost an average person over 20 million naira for just two years? These persons defending the indefensible should be arrested immediately,” the statement read in part. 

In separate letters to the PDP, the NWC members had said the monies had been paid into their account without their knowledge. They also claimed they thought the monies were for their “house rent” until after a newspaper publication exposed them.

The NWC members, who returned the money, are the National Vice-Chairman (South-west) Olasoji Adagunodo; the Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja; National Vice-Chairman (South), Chief Dan Orbih; and National Women Leader, Prof. Stella Affah-Attoe.

While Adagunodo, Orbih and Effah-Attoe got N28.8 million each, Arapaja was paid N36 million.

PDP had fixed its presidential nomination form and expression of interest forms at N40 million, governorship N21 million, Senate N3.5 million, House of Representatives N2.5 million and state House of Assembly N600,000.