Fresh crisis hits PDP as NWC members return bribes

Abuja, Nigeria – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was on Thursday facing a fresh crisis over a multimillion naira bribery scandal revolving around members of the National Working Committee, NWC who it was alleged were being settled to support the embattled national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorcha Ayu.

As the bribery allegation widened on Thursday some of the members who were reportedly paid the money returned the money in cheques and transfers to the party purse.

Among those who have returned the alleged bribe are the Deputy National Chairman, South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, the National Women Leader, Prof Stella Effah-Attoe and the National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih.

Araphaja has returned N36 million paid to him while Effah-Attoe and Orbih each returned N28 million.

All claimed that the money paid to them from the party were suspicious.

GWG reports that the money was paid to them in the form of housing allowance.

There were also reports that the National Vice Chairman Southeast, Dr Alli Odefa, the National Vice-Chairman, Southwest Adagunobi-Oluwatukesi and the Deputy National Secretary, Hon Setonji Koshoedo have also returned their own portions of the money paid out to the party members.

GWG reports that the return of the money follows reports that the NWC members had been settled to overlook allegations of the misappropriation of the N10 billion collected as nomination fees from aspirants for elective political offices during the recent round of primaries.