Says Rivers gov hosted meeting with N50m
It’s not true Jonathan
By Emeka Nze
Abuja
Controversies that trailed the botched Abuja peace parley of the crisis ridden Peoples Democratic Party, deepened yesterday, with the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff- led group alleging that Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose of Rivers and Ekiti states respectively, recruited former President Goodluck Jonathan to organise a ‘fake meeting.’
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Acting Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh said , “the allegation that Governor Wike spent a whooping N50 million to host the last failed meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan is neither palatable nor is it acceptable.”
“It was a thing of joy for the party faithful as they jubilated that indeed peace has returned to the party. But to the surprise of all, Governor Wike and Governor Fayose recruited the former President, Goodluck Jonathan into a ”Fake” peace effort predetermined to scuttle Governor Dickson’s efforts.
“The result is that President Jonathan was lured into committing a serious breach of Protocol that led to the failure of the exercise which was the intended outcome.”
For this, Ojougboh stated that “the party has decided that Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff should exercise the utmost power of Chairman of thepParty and announce a schedule for the Convention stating that the party national chairman (Sheriff) has the support of all PDP governors except Wike and Fayose.”
He also alleged that “Wike paid USD1 milling for legal fees to Makarfi’s attorneys in the ongoing Supreme Court matter and has disbursed USD5 million to unknown persons in relation to the Supreme Court matter.”
Ojougboh further said: “The party is worried that the amount of money Governor Wike is spending needlessly is worrisome and a measure of unbridled profligacy intended to further smear the good image of the party. This money belongs to the people of Rivers State and it should not be misappropriated at the expense of the people to whom it rightfully belongs.
“Anybody partaking in the misuse of Rivers State money should be fully aware that it is blood money. We therefore call on party leaders and Nigerians to refrain from accepting these monies from Gov. Wike in line with the spirit of our founding fathers.”
Dr. Ojougboh however stated that the Sheriff- led group has “steadfast and abiding confidence that the Supreme Court under the incorruptible leadership of Dr. Walter Onnoghen cannot be bought over.”
Ojougboh also alleged that media mogul and owner of Daar Communication, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Governor Wike have established their own party, describing their actions to tie PDP down with controversies as man’s inhumanity to man and utter wickedness.
“The public is hereby notified that Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Governor Wike have established their own party and are acting in their fiendish interest .Their actions to tie the PDP down with controversies, is only man’s inhumanity to man and utter wickedness.
“We are determined against all odds and opposition from governors Wike and Fayose to conduct a National Convention that will be free and fair. We hereby invite our State Chairmen to submit to the office of the National Organising Secretary the list of all statutory delegates to the convention on or before the 27th of April 2017.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party will hold on the 3rd of May 2017 at the NEC hall of the National Secretary at 1pm prompt.”
But in a swift reaction, the former president, through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, stated that Sheriff’s allegations were untrue.
According to Eze, “the former president intervened in the crisis because of his genuine commitment to bring about peace in the party that made him president. I don’t think anybody will believe that he collected money from anybody to organise the meeting.
“It is out of his genuine concern to bring peace in the party. He has been meeting with members of the party; he met with Sheriff severally, he also met with Makarfi severally. He met with the governors. I don’t see any reason for anybody to say that Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the stakeholder’s conference.”
Also reacting, Governor Fayose, through his Special Adviser on Communication said, “If Ali Modu Sheriff has taken his desperation to serve his paymasters in the APC to the level of accusing former president Jonathan of being bribed to organise a peace meeting, there is no reason for any sane mind to continue to respond to continued advertisement of his political insanity.”
