Worrisome indications had emerged that each delegate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may have pocketed up to $50,000 (N20,761,000.00) from leading presidential aspirants of the party at the ongoing 2023 presidential primary in Nigerian capital, Abuja.
It was reported that many presidential aspirants of the party had heavily introduced dollars to the knotty equation, engaging in a battle of dollars splash to woo party delegates.
In the ongoing presidential primary election, no fewer than 811 delegates will vote and decide the fate of the 13 aspirants jostling for the party’s presidential ticket.
A top source who has knowledge of the inside details of the party alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Nyesom Wike, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, are all competing in the splash of thousands of dollars on the delegates.
Atiku was said to have given each delegate $20,000; Wike was said to have doled out $15,000; Saraki $10,000 and Tambuwal $10,000.
“Each of the PDP delegates has got $50,000 for now; Wike, 15,000 dollars; Atiku, 20,000 dollars; Saraki, 10,000 dollars and Tambuwal, 10,000 dollars,” the source was quoted to have said.
The New Diplomat reports that this is coming after one of the presidential aspirants of the PDP, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, withdrew from the race on the grounds that the primary election has become “obscenely monetised”.
“It is, therefore, based on personal principles and with great humility that I have decided after wide consultations to withdraw from this contest which has been obscenely monetized,” the foremost Economist and Banker said in a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
