Who got the N 750 million nomination
bribe that has caused a huge scandal
in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP )?
Two key officials of the ruling party’ s
National Working Committee (NWC )
fingered in the deal are said to be on
the run .
A manhunt has begun for them as the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) cast its net wide to
recover the cash .
House of Representatives member
Ndudi Elumelu was said to have given
the cash to win the party’s Delta State
governorship ticket.
An Abuja billionaire , who collected the
money from Elumelu, is in police
custody .
He is said to be a friend of a PDP
National Vice Chairman and son- in-law
of a former Minister of Aviation .
The suspect was arrested last Friday
and some exotic cars were taken away
from his Abuja home .
While EFCC is looking into Elumelu ’s
petition , more aspirants have
volunteered to testify on the huge cash-
for - nomination deals during PDP’s
primaries .
Elumelu petitioned EFCC when he could
not get the party’ s governorship ticket.
A source in EFCC said: “ So far, we have
been able to get clues that two
members of the NWC of PDP had direct
link with the collection and
disbursement of the N 750 million.
“ We have their names and we may
invite them for interrogation any
moment from now. The suspect said he
was just helping a friend and the
money was handed over to some NWC
members .
“ It is too early to prejudge the affected
NWC members. But when we invite
them , we will let you know.
“ But the suspect is still with us giving
vital information on how he tried to
help Elumelu as a friend .”
As of press time , the affected NWC
members were trying to wield influence
to resolve the matter amicably.
A party source said : “There is tension
everywhere , the NWC members are
calling for amicable resolution of the
issue at stake.
“ They do not want anything that can
affect the image of the party. I think
they want to refund the cash quietly to
avoid any backlash on the party and
their political career.
“ I think the luck with Ndudi Elumelu is
that he is from a well-connected family
which will make cheating him difficult ”.
Findings also revealed that a chartered
jet was also on standby for some of
those behind the deal in order to get
the governorship ticket for Elumelu .
Another source added: “They embarked
on many shuttles with a chartered jet
during the transaction.
“ The N 750million deal was one of the
reasons why Tony Obuh, the hitherto
anointed candidate of the Governor of
Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan lost
out .
“ To some extent , those who collected
the cash assisted in scheming out
Obuh from the race . But they could not
rout out the party’s eventual
governorship candidate , Senator Ifeanyi
Okowa , whom they did not know had
been a friend of the National Chairman
of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu , for many
years.
“ They really cheated Uduaghan without
knowing that they were digging their
graves . ”
Other aggrieved aspirants are also
seeking their pounds of flesh . They are
said to be ready to squeal on how some
PDP leaders negotiated nomination
deals with them .
A third source said : “ Since this incident
became public knowledge, more
aspirants have volunteered to go to
EFCC with more information about the
activities of the Screening , Electoral
Committees and Appeal Committees .
“ You could see that during the
primaries , some aspirants were
disqualified but miraculously they were
cleared again.
“ Some said they parted with huge sums
without getting the party’s tickets for
offices aspired to .
“ They said they have records of how the
monies were paid or wired. I think there
will be more revelations in the days
ahead .”
The Nation
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