Against the backdrop of alleged scandal rocking the Imo State arm of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, months after the party primaries, the helmsman, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie has disclosed that he never collected any amount of money from aspirants including Senator Ifeanyi Araraume or his proxy, before, during and after the December 8, 2014 exercise.
The media in the state have been awash with different tales of reports bordering on alleged exchange of money between the chairman and Araraume with unconfirmed reports disclosing that he was invited by EFCC.
Giving an insight into his own side of the story, Anyaehie who said he has no business with any anti-graft bodies for any reason, disclosed that there was no time he bargained with any aspirant for money in the course of supervising the party.
According to Anyaehie, “late midnight after the PDP guber primaries at Dan Anyiam Stadium, I had gone to bed when repeated calls from senator Araraume woke me asking that we see in Rockview Hotels, Owerri. When I managed to reach the hotel in that odd hour, he put forward a complain over differences in figure following counting of ballot papers. We agreed that the custody of the papers be kept till next day for us to recheck at the party secretariat by 9am. I went home,
The next day we waited for the electoral panel at the party office from 9am till they failed to appear. At that point, the supposed point-man for Araraume, Hon Jasper Ndubuaku approached with some dollars which I refused to take. Initially, the night at Rockview, Araraume had made advances with money which I also rejected.
“Ndubuaku who was in my office worried me to collect the said money running into thousands of dollars on the pretext that it was a kind of courtesy to me from Chief (Araraume). I still rejected. Ndubuaku went further to beg me to collect the money stating that it was from there he will get his but since he has not benefitted from Araraume I refused. Whether he shared the money with any worker or official of the party in the party office where he brought the money, as I heard was not with my approval” he added.
Speaking further, Anyaehie noted that though he was under pressure from several aspirants in the build up to the December primaries of the party, he never collected money to favour anybody adding that instead he pumped in private fund to assist candidates. He said, “by the special grace of God, I am made by gift of hardwork and providence not to collect money from people for favour. Ndubaku wants to black mail me for selfish reasons, he failed to tell people how he came begging, but my interest is to move the party forward not what the likes of Ndubuaku think. I have not gotten any EFCC invitation and never attended any one for any reason. All the reports are cheap blackmail orchestrated by Ndubuaku to cover up”
Speaking further, the PDP chairman however acknowledged that Ndubuaku had earlier written him on the issue which he referred to the legal adviser of the party for necessary action. “How the EFCC matter came up, I don’t know”, He summed up.
