Despite graft allegations, I’ll be PDP chair – Dokpesi

The founder of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, has said that his trial in court over alleged corruption will have no effect on his chances of becoming chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dokpesi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a six-count charge alongside his firm, DAAR Investment Holdings Ltd, for his alleged involvement in the diversion of N2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms to fight the insurgency in the North-east.
Dokpesi, who addressed journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, also said at the peak of the party’s crisis, the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction formed the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) as plan B in case they lost out in the power tussle.
Dokpesi yesterday said he had “what it takes to change the PDP if he eventually” became its national chairman.
He said: “The national convention zoned the position of the national chairman to the South and zoned the presidency to the North. And there is no micro-zoning; the convention would have said it is zoning to the South-west, but the convention in its wisdom did not do so.
“I take full responsibility for the roles I played in the formation and funding of APDA. It was set up as a plan B for the PDP at the peak of its internal crisis. I said very clearly that I have a lot of respect for the elders of this party, I have a lot of respect for constituted authority, but they are human beings.”