TheCable

Kola Ologbondiyan, former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the amounts paid to the party’s national working committee (NWC) were “legitimately earned”.

On Thursday, some NWC members announced the refund of different amounts sent to their bank accounts by the party’s leadership.

The affected members include Taofeek Arapaja, deputy national chairman, south; Dan Osi Orbih, national vice chairman, south-south; Stella Effah-Atoe, national women leader; and Olasoji Adagunodo, national vice chairman, south-west.

In different statements, they claimed that the party erroneously paid the said amounts into their accounts without stating the purpose.

PDP, however, reacted to the claims and established that the NWC members were paid for housing allowance.

The party added that the money went through due process before being paid into the accounts of the individuals.

Adding his voice to the issue during a chat with Arise News on Friday, Ologbondiyan, who was a member of the immediate past PDP NWC, said it’s “totally strange” that the officials claimed not to know the purpose of the money.

Ologbondiyan said “transport and housing allowances” are entitlements of members of the NWC.

“The founders of the PDP created what is known as the establishment profile of the party. And this establishment rule contains the structure of the party and what members can do and cannot do. It is a body of rule guiding the party outside the constitution,” the former PDP spokesperson said.

“It is also good to understand that party leaders, who are officers of the party, have no salaries. Their entitlement is in allowances. I know there are housing and transportation allowances.

“Based on my experience, when you assume office as a member of NWC, you must submit your account number to the party’s finance directorate. So whenever your entitlements are ready, they will be paid into your account.

“It is totally strange that any officer of the party will come out and say money was paid into my account and I do not know how the money was paid and the purpose.

“There is no way this issue would not be debated in the NWC with minutes taken. The money is legitimately earned. It is totally strange that people are talking about money legitimately earned as if it was a bribe.”