Chucks Okocha And Juliana Taiwo
15 November 2008
Abuja — In the midst of yawing poverty and inadequate infrastructure, over N6 billion was raised yesterday by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) towards the building of a new national secretariat complex in Abuja.
The fund raising ceremony, which witnessed a massive turn out of the party's big wigs from across the country, saw businessman Femi Otedola, donating N1 billion.
Another businessman, Aliko Dangote promised to supply cement worth N3 billion towards the construction of the secretariat.
Other major donations made towards the construction of the secretariat include: the PDP National Central Working Committee - N1 billion; Princess Bola Shagaya - N25 million; Chief Michael Otedola (father of Femi Otedola) - N25 million; Strabag Construction Company - N100 million; Ogun State - N10 million; and an anonymous donor - N100 million.
Meanwhile President Umaru Yar'Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan contributed the sums of N527,205 and N454,735, representing 15% of their basic salaries respectively.
The donations by the President and his VP conformed with a statement from the vice president's office yesterday, that political office holders in the three tiers of government are expected to contribute 15 percent of their basic salaries towards the fund raising.
The vice president who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Ima Niboro said the organising committee for its fund-raising dinner had not asked any PDP state governor to donate public funds to the party.
"The party only directed the state governors to collate all contributions and donations from political office holders in their states for onward delivery to the committee on the day of the launch."
The Vice President is the chairman of the fundraising dinner, which is targeting N10 billion for the construction of its national secretariat to be sited at the Central Business District of Abuja.
Niboro stressed: "For the avoidance of doubt, I want to state categorically state that at no time did the party or the organising committee headed by the Vice President ever ask or direct any state governor or any other public office holder for that matter, to appropriate public funds as donations towards the PDP dinner.
"This clarification has become necessary because there are misconceptions in some quarters that the PDP through the committee headed by the Vice President has directed governors of the party to each donate N50 million from the public coffers as mandatory contributions for the proposed party secretariat."
He explained all the political office holders who are members of the PDP in the three tiers and arms of government are to contribute 15 per cent of their basic salaries for one year.
He further stressed that this percentage deduction when summed up state by state is between N50 and N100 million per a state, adding "based on our template, we found that such levies would yield reasonable funds for the project.
"In a small state like Bayelsa, we found that the party should be able to raise close to N50 million. In a bigger states like Sokoto whose template we used, we should be able to raise close to N100 million if political office holders contribute 15 percent of their basic salaries for one year towards the project."
It will be recalled that the National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor had confirmed last week that each of its 28 state governors were to contribute N50 million towards the construction of its new national secretariat.
Ogbulafor spoke against the backdrop of reports that the party had compulsorily mandated its governors to contribute N50 million each, towards the building of the secretariat.
Addressing newsmen on the 10th year anniversary of the party, he said PDP only asked the governors to "source the funds from friends, well wishers and members of the PDP who can donate freely and voluntarily."
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