PDP crisis: I rejected Atiku's suggestion to take N1bn loan - Ayu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has explained that he rejected the suggestion of the party's presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku, to take a N1 billion loan.

Wike alleges corruption: Ayu's explanation comes as a response to the N1bn bribery allegation levelled against him by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The PDP crisis: Pulse reports that Wike, who is currently on a warpath with the PDP, had during his September 23 media chat accused the national chairman of collecting N1bn from an unnamed presidential aspirant in Lagos without remitting to party's coffers.

“Can Ayu deny that he did not collect N1bn from Lagos? He told one of the PDP presidential aspirants before the primaries that the governors were not ready to fund the party,” Wike said, claiming that he knew “how the money was arranged and those involved in packaging the money. He N1bn; let him come out to tell Nigerians (that) it is not true and I will reveal more.”

Fresh accusation: The governor also doubled down on the allegations during another round of media chat on Friday, October 14, 2022, adding that Ayu also received another N100m from a PDP governor.

Ayu clarifies issues: In his reaction, the embattled chairman denied ever collecting N1bn from anyone, explaining that when he assumed office as the chairman and needed to raise money for the party, Atiku suggested that the party should take a loan of N1bn but the idea was struck down after deliberations by the National Working Committee.

On the alleged N100m bribe, Ayu admitted to collecting the said amount from the PDP governor but declared that the money way donated towards the renovation of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI) which is due for commissioning in days.

Ayu's word: “When my BoT chairman talks, I am not supposed to say anything more. But since these allegations have persisted, I want to use this opportunity to clear the air. When the first allegation was made about the N1bn, I decided not to respond because we don’t want to cause altercations in the party.

“However, I want to make it clear that at no time did I, as the national chairman of this party, collect any N1bn from anybody.

“So, I state that I never collected N1bn from anybody. Also, the N100m that was donated by one of the governors has been judiciously used for the purpose (for which) it was given. In the next few weeks, we will be inviting all party leaders, including members of the press, for the inauguration of the PDI.

“When we came in and the party had funding difficulties, the current presidential candidate suggested that the party should take a loan of N1bn from a bank. The owner of that bank was also an influential member of this party. He has left the party now.

“When we discussed it with him, we discarded the idea and the party never took any loan or any money from anybody. I, as a person, never collected N1bn from anybody. Any money advanced to the party was declared before the National Working Committee and handed over to the national treasurer of the party.”