The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as ‘misleading’ a report that its governors have been mandated to pay a sum of N6 billion as contribution towards upcoming congresses and the party convention.
This was contained in a press statement released on Sunday and signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary.
According to the report, “despite the untold hardship being visited on workers and pensioners who have gone several months without remuneration, 24 governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have been mandated to contribute N6 billion at N250 million each towards the party’s upcoming congresses and national convention.”
It also added that “the governors are largely expected to cover their contributions using state funds.”
The APC, however, stated that the money is the conventional party dues, which some governors have failed to pay. It said the N250 million only applies to governors that have not paid “since inception”, and it is wrong to assume all governors are in this category.
The statement also denied that the governors are expected to pay using public funds, and stated that all party members holding government positions are required to pay a percentage of their earnings to the party.
THE FULL STATEMENT:
Re: Despite Owing Salaries, APC Governors to Contribute N6billion for Upcoming Congresses, Convention.
Our attention has been drawn to a story on the PREMIUM TIMES under the above stated headline.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) denies your story and wishes to state that the# story is misleading and has misrepresented our party.
We therefore wish to make the following clarification.
At the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the governors of the party held at the party secretariat on Thursday 26th April, it was pointed out that many of the governors have fallen behind in the payment of their party dues. While some of the governors have been up-to-date with the payments, a few others have not paid at all. The governors were therefore requested to pay up, especially in view of upcoming party activities.
It is therefore possible that a governor that falls in the category of those that has not paid since inception could owe up to N250million. Therefore, it is grossly misleading, if not downright malicious, for your report to simply apply this sum to everyone and multiply by the number of governors.
For avoidance of doubts, party dues are paid by all members of the party holding positions, either by election or appointment. Therefore, members of the National Assembly as well as cabinet ministers also remit a percentage of their earnings to the party. It is therefore false to say governors are expected to pay up with state money.
SIGNED:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
'Kunle works with The ICIR as an investigative reporter and fact-checker. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or, if you're feeling particularly generous, follow him on Twitter @KunleBajo.