Sheriff: Wike Gave Jonathan N50m For PDP Stakeholders Meeting

The court backed National Chairman of People’s Democratic (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has alleged that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike gave former President Goodluck Jonathan N50 million to organise the recent stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

But Dr. Jonathan has denied the allegation, saying that he took it upon himself to convene the meeting out of his genuine concern for peace to reign in the party.

Also reacting to the allegation, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose said Sheriff has taking his desperation too far by accusing the former president of taking bribe.

Fayose, in an SMS message by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, stated, “If Sheriff has taken his desperation to serve his paymasters in the APC to the level of accusing Jonathan of being bribed to organise peace meeting for the PDP, there is no reason for any sane mind to continue to respond to the continuous advertisement of his political insanity”.

But Sheriff who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh at a news conference at the party’s secretariat on Thursday, said Governors Wike and Fayose recruited the Jonathan into a fake peace effort pre-determined to scuttle ongoing peace initiative in the party.

“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”, Sheriff said.

According to him, Wike and the media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi have already established their own political party, adding that their mission was to tie the PDP down with undue controversies.

He further stated that the party was worried that the amount of money Wike was spending on the crisis could smear the image of the PDP

“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 belonged.

“We therefore call on party leaders and Nigerians to refrain from accepting these monies from Governor Wike in line with the spirit of our founding fathers”, Sheriff added.

The party chairman restated his determination to go ahead with the plans to organise a convention for the party, saying preparations for a free and fair convention were in top gear.

Sheriff directed state chapter chairmen of the PDP to forward to the party secretariat the lists of all statutory delegates to the convention on or before April 27.

He added that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party would hold on May 3.

Dr. Jonathan who spoke through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, dismissed Sheriff’s allegation that he collected N50 million from Wike.

According to him, he 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 Jonathan collected money from anybody to organise the meeting. It was out of his genuine concern to bring peace to 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 stakeholders conference”, Eze said.

The Nation