Over N747.6 million was raised by the Peoples Democratic Party’s Sokoto State chapter on Monday night during a fundraiser for the party’s candidates ahead of the general elections in the state.
This is stated in a press release that was given to local news outlets and signed by Muhammad Bello, the governor of Sokoto State’s special adviser on publicity and the media.
According to the statement, additional contributions are still anticipated as eminent guests leave the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, where the party’s fundraising dinner was held.
The Sokoto State PDP received N80 million from the trio of Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara. According to a breakdown, the sum was distributed as follows: N50 million, N25 million, and N5 million by the donors.
A chieftain of the state party, who is also a philanthropist of note and featured as the chief launcher, Alhaji Mukhtar Maigona donated N50 million while AFDIN Construction Company Limited and Mr Ese Omorode, who were among the co-launchers donated N50 million too.
All donors conformed to the stipulation of the Electoral Act, which pegged the ceiling of donations to political parties’ coffers for individuals and groups at N50 million only.
The fundraising was also done transparently.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who expressed appreciation to the donors and guests at the star-studded event, recalled that the choice of the guests; particularly his counterpart, Sen. Diri and Saraki, was reflective of the historic ties between Sokoto and Ogbia/Ilorin.
According to him, both Chief Melford Okilo (1903-2008) and Oloye Abubakar Olusola Saraki (1933-2012), played significant roles in the emergence of Alhaji Shehu Shagari (1925-2018), as President of the Second Republic.
He said this historical fact, which underscores the relationship that existed between President Shagari and these personalities, was why informed the choice and invitation of Diri and Saraki as Special Guests of Honour and Chairman of the occasion in that order.
In his opening remarks, Saraki said Sokoto State is the one that has sent a clear message to the coin as to where the political pendulum of the country will swing during and after the forthcoming elections.
Saying that all categories of elections that would hold in the state are not its own alone, but that of the party, the former Governor of Kwara state, who urged donors at the event to donate generously for the party’s electoral victories, added that: “the victory of PDP in Sokoto state is also the PDP in Nigeria.”
Gov. Diri on his part, also said the fundraising would contribute to the success of the PDP nationwide.
Equally alluding to the historical and cordial political relationship between Sokoto and Bayelsa, the Governor urged participants at the dinner to make generous donations to the party.
He said, “Nigeria needs to be restored and there is no other way to do this than through voting for the PDP, so as to ensure that the country does not go down the drain.”
The fundraising dinner was attended by a large section of the PDP stakeholders nationwide.
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