The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defended its earlier position that the money paid to its national officers and National Working Committee (NWC) members was not a bribe but housing allowance that passed through due process.
In a statement on Tuesday night signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, after its NWC meeting in Abuja, the party said there was nothing wrong with the payment as due process was followed.
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Ologunagba said that the NWC at its meeting on Tuesday, thoroughly examined the strange publication by a particular newspaper which reported that the housing allowance legally paid by the Party to its national officers was bribe.
“After a thorough scrutiny of the payment by the party, the NWC in session established that the payment was not a bribe but housing allowance.
“It Is also instructive to state that the national officers who returned their housing allowances equally confirmed and affirmed at the meeting that the payment was not bribe.
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“They affirmed it was their due entitlements in line with the Conditions of service and entitlement of the staff and principal officers of the party,” Ologunagba said.
He added that considering the above, the NWC resolved to conduct an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the said publication by the newspaper of September 26.
He said that the newspaper publication was clearly targeted to cause disaffection among members and stakeholders of the party as well as bring the party to disrepute before its teeming supporters all over the world, particularly in an election year.
“Consequently, the NWC has set up an Investigative Committee headed by the National Legal Adviser to conduct an inquiry into the source of the said malicious and injurious publication.”
The committee, according to Ologunagba, has one week to investigate the matter and report back to the NWC for further action.