On Monday, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) admitted to receiving N100 million from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih but not from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki as has been speculated in the media.
On Monday, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) admitted to receiving N100 million from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih but not from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki as has been speculated in the media.
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This revelation was made in Abuja today by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Dr.Abdul Ahmed Isaiq at a press briefing held at the National Headquarters of the Party. Dr. Isaiq noted that the PDP, through Tony Anenih, contributed the sum of N100 million in order to shore up the SDP/PDP electoral alliance project.
These funds, according to Dr. Isaiq, were procured from the former Finance Minister, Olu Falae, and not from the Arms Procurement Fund (APF).
Therefore, Dr. Isaiq stated, the SDP would not refund a dime to the Federal Government (FG), as the Party did not receive any of the illicit $2.1 billion because the source which the money came from was not the APF. He maintained that the Party is ready to take legal action to defend itself in any court of law.
Below you can find the press release in its entirety:
Our attention has been drawn to a libelous and misleading story trending in the social media and some newspapers , that the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chief Olu Falae GCON, OFR collected N100M (One Million Naira Only) alleged largesse said to have been immorally disbursed from Armed Procurement Fund by Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the former NSA . We are dismayed by this story and hereby wish to state as follows:
1. That the SDP was approached by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih for an electoral alliance for the re-election bid of the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
2. That Chief Olu Falae being the National Chairman (SDP) summoned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of SDP to a well-attended meeting to consider the PDP’s proposal of Electoral Alliance for the re-election bid of former president Jonathan since SDP did not field a presidential candidate of its own.
3. That the SDP NEC debated thoroughly the electoral alliance proposal and finally gave overwhelming approval for the electoral alliance with PDP. The NEC further empowered Olu Falae to communicate the readiness of SDP to work with the PDP for the victory of former President Jonathan, but based based on certain cardinal objective principles which must be agreed upon such as zero tolerance for corruption ,youth employment, increased capital funding allocation and acceptance of the Confab report among others.
4. That consequent upon this agreement, the PDP through Chief Tony Anenih contributed the token sum of N100m (One Million Naira Only) to the SDP/PDP electoral alliance project through Chief Olu Falae. It is to be noted that the SDP spent well above N100m for the execution of the project throughout the country during the presidential campaign and election period.
5. That the said N100 million was most transparently disbursed to our SDP field organizations, especially to areas where we had more support than PDP, and we have a full report of the transparency with which our State chapters utilized the money for the purpose it was meant.
6. That it is obvious from the above, and pertinent to state here that neither SDP nor Olu Falae was aware of Colonel Dasuki arms deal money given through Mr. Anenih. The SDP, as well as many Nigerians, were aware of the fact that the PDP had a fundraising event prior to the election where billions of naira were donated. The SDP is also conscious of the fact that the PDP are capable of funding their part of an electoral alliance with SDP. We hereby affirm that neither the SDP nor Olu Falae has anything to do with the $2.1billion Arms Deal debacle. Our alliance was not based on monetary inducement but on 6-points of cardinal objectives, which we believed could benefit the country at this crucial time
Thank you all.
Dr.Abdul Ahmed Isaiq
National Publicity Secretary
Social Democratic Party