PDP opens up on asking members to pay N10,000 to fund party activities

The National Working Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki, has dismissed reports claiming it asked members to contribute N10,000 each to fund the party.

On Saturday, reports emerged that the Turaki-led PDP is considering seeking funding for its activities from nominal members amid the party’s current challenges.

The plan was said to have been disclosed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, while appearing on a live television programme monitored in Abuja.

Ememobong reportedly said: “Life is a curve; you go from the bottom to the apex and back down again. We started from zero in 1998, ruled for 16 years, and then began a descent. We have reached the bottom of the valley, and now we are heading back up. This is a rebirth process, which is always painful. We are analyzing our mistakes and successes.

“We have both ‘qualitative ‘and ‘quantitative’ voices in the party. While the qualitative voices (the elite) are important, democracy is a game of numbers. We are balancing these while navigating the court process. Simultaneously, we are using a ‘poly-opportunity strategy; fighting in court while conducting grassroots mobilisation and stakeholder engagement.”

Ememobong added, “The strategy is simple: go back to the people. You need funding to entice people, but when people are with you voluntarily, they fund the cause. In 1998, people brought small contributions to fund the party, and that gave them a voice.

“When governors took over the funding, the people were pushed aside. We are returning to that voluntary model. If 60 million Nigerians give N10,000 each, that is a huge sum. We are seeing this mass movement already in states like Plateau and Akwa Ibom.”

However, in a statement issued on Sunday, the PDP spokesperson, said his comments in response to a question on how the party plans to fund its activities following the defection of some governors were mischaracterised.

Ememobong said while the body of the report accurately quoted his comments, the headline misrepresented the substance of his remarks.

He said the reference to N10,000 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.

The PDP spokesperson urged members and the general public to disregard the report and continue to support the party voluntarily in ways they deem appropriate.