The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed a media report claiming the party is asking members to contribute ₦10,000 each to fund party activities, describing the headline as false and misleading.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Sunday, January 18, the party said the headline published by The Observer Times did not reflect the actual content of an interview given by a party official.
“The headline is as false as it is misleading, and does not reflect the substance of what was stated,” Ememobong said in the statement.
He explained that while the body of the report accurately quoted remarks made during the interview, the headline was either clickbait or a subjective interpretation.
He noted that other credible media organizations reported the same interview accurately without resorting to sensationalism.
The statement clarified what was actually said about funding party activities following recent defections by some governors.
“The strategy is simple: go back to the people. When the people are with you voluntarily, they fund the cause. In 1998, people made small contributions to fund the party, and that gave them a voice,” the statement quoted from the original interview.
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“We are returning to that voluntary model. For example, if 60 million Nigerians give N10,000 each, that’s a huge sum. We are already seeing this kind of mass support in states like Plateau and Akwa Ibom.”
The PDP emphasized that the reference to ₦10,000 was purely illustrative and meant to demonstrate the collective strength of voluntary support, not a directive or mandatory contribution.
“The statement above clearly affirms the PDP’s belief in voluntary contributions, irrespective of amount, as a legitimate and time-tested model of grassroots political funding.
“The reference to ₦10,000 was purely illustrative, intended to demonstrate the collective strength of voluntary support, and not a directive, levy, or mandatory contribution,” the statement read.
The party made its position clear: “Let it be stated unequivocally: there is no fixed amount, no compulsory payment, and no obligation imposed on any member of the PDP.”
The PDP urged its members and the public to ignore the misleading headline and continue to support the party at all levels in ways they consider appropriate and convenient.
The clarification comes amid challenges facing the party, including defections by some governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in recent times.