Onyekachi Eze 
Just a days after a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chinemere Madu, alleged that the sum of N28 million was mapped out to derail the presidential campaign, another bribery allegation is rocking the party. Four members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the Deputy National Chairman (South), Amb; Taoffek Arapaja, National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih, his South West counterpart, Olasoji Adagunodo and National Women’s Leader, Prof. Stella Effa-Attoe, have collectively returned the sum of N122.4 million allegedly paid into their accounts.
In separate letters to the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, which was dated September 29, they expressed surprise at the money they said they found in their accounts. Orbih, who confirmed the letter when contacted, expressed surprise and shock when his bank confirmed to him that the sum of N28.8 million was credited to his account with Zenith Bank.
“I hereby notify you of my decision to pay back the money to the party’s account,” he told the National Chairman in the letter. Adagunodo also returned his own N28.8 million. Arapaja, who failed to answer calls made to his mobile phone, said in the letter that he found the sum of N36 million when he browsed through various alerts in his phone. “I have my reservation about this money trans ferred into my account and for personal reasons wish to return it accordingly,” he said.
He requested the National Chairman to confirm the “receipt of UBA electronic transfer of the thirty-six million naira (N36,000,000.00) attached herewith.” Prof. Effa-Atoe, who addressed her letter to the PDP National Treasurer, said the sum N28.8 million was paid into her account, recalling that when she inquired she was told that “the said sum is for two years house rent as a member of the National Working Committee.
“Since after the lodgement of the money into my bank account, I have been inundated with many phone calls from party members, friends, family members and the general public, intimating that the said money has been given as a bribe to bring me and other NWC members on the side of the National Chairman following the crisis between him on one side and the Governor of Rivers State, HE Governor Nyesom Wike/ Wike’s group on the other side. “This development has made me very uncomfortable having found myself in such an embarrassing situation. I am hereby refunding to the bank account of our great party at the PDP National Secretariat. “At an appropriate time, when things normalise, whatever is due to me as my house rent could be paid to me.”