Crisis rocks Bauchi PDP over N800m party fund
Fresh crisis has rocked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bauchi State chapter, after alleged financial misappropriation of party’s funds by its leaders.
The crisis started when members of the state working committee of the party wrote a letter demanding explanation from the state chairman, Ibrahim Yaro Yaro and its secretary, Sama’ila Burga, on allegation of abuse of office.
In the letter, the two party officials were given 12 hours to reply, or face disciplinary action in accordance with the provision of the party’s constitution.
However, before the expiration of the 12-hours ultimatum, the chairman of the party announced the suspension of some members of the State Working Committee.
But when members of the state working committee did not receive any response from the chairman and secretary, they reportedly held another meeting on Friday and suspended the chairman and secretary. They also immediately appointed Alhaji Musa Haruna Shitu as acting state chairman and Barrister Mukhtar Abubakar as acting state secretary.
Talking to journalists at the end of their meeting on Friday, the new state acting chairman said the suspended officers deserved the suspension as they could not account for over N800 million. He alleged that the party had N348 million in Keystone Bank and over N460 million in Diamond Bank, generated from 10 percent membership dues deducted monthly from the salaries of former political appointees of the state government as their contribution towards running the affairs of the party.
He said that the two party officials spent the money without the knowledge of the executives and failed to follow the laid down rules as enshrined in the party’s constitution. He advised the members of the party to remain calm and wait for the outcome of the investigation on the allegations of abuse of office against the two officials.
Addressing a press conference on the development, however, the suspended secretary Burga said the money alleged in their letter was N300 million and was used in running the day-to-day affairs of the party.
He said that all the members of the working committee signed and collected money for one activity or the other. He also described his suspension and that of the chairman of the party as null and void, saying the action was against the laws of the party.
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