By Sampson Uhuegbu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed reports claiming it asked members to contribute ₦10,000 each to fund the party.
In a statement issued on Sunday, PDP spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, said his comments in response to a question on how the party plans to fund its activities following the defection of some governors were characterized.
“The strategy is simple: go back to the people. When the people are with you voluntarily, they fund the cause. In 1998, people made small contributions to fund the party, and that gave them a voice,” Ememobong said.
“We are returning to that voluntary model. For example, if 60 million Nigerians each give ₦10,000, that’s a huge sum. We are already seeing this kind of mass support in states like Plateau and Akwa Ibom.
According to him, the reference to ₦10,000 was “purely illustrative”, intended to demonstrate the collective strength of voluntary support, and not a directive, levy, or mandatory contribution.
“Let it be stated unequivocally: there is no fixed amount, no compulsory payment, and no obligation imposed on any member of the PDP,” he said