KEY POINTS

• PDP leadership rejects claims of a N10,000 contribution request

• Party says comments on funding were hypothetical and voluntary

• Members urged to support PDP without any compulsory payment

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Kabiru Turaki has denied reports that it told members to give N10,000 each to help pay for party activities. They called the claims false and misleading.

The party said in a statement on Sunday that comments made during a media interview were taken out of context and wrongly presented as orders. Ini Ememobong, who speaks for the factional national working committee led by Kabiru Turaki, signed the statement.

The clarification came after reports in the media said that the opposition party had made contributions mandatory because some of its governors had recently left the party.

Spokesperson Explains Original Remarks

Ememobong said that what he said was part of a bigger conversation about grassroots funding and voluntary support, not a command to members. He said that the mention of N10,000 was just an example to show how small donations from many people could make a political group stronger.

He remembered that during the interview, he talked about going back to a funding model based on people, like the one that existed in the early years of the party’s formation. He said that a lot of people giving money helped them feel like they were part of something and gave them a sense of ownership.

The spokesperson said that the body of the report was true to what he said, but the headline wrongly made it sound like the party had charged members a fee.

Ememobong made it clear that there is no set amount that members must give and that no one in the party is required to do anything. He said that the PDP has not approved any mandatory tax and does not plan to do so.

He told party members and the general public to ignore reports that said otherwise. He also said that supporting the party is still a choice based on belief in its ideas and leadership.

The party also said it is still sure that it can get resources by using clear and legal methods without having to force its members to give money.