President Goodluck Jonathan’s Re-election Fund Raise Generated Over N21Billion

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night demonstrated
why it is the largest political party in Africa as its fund
raising dinner towards President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-
election in 2015 generated over N21 billion.
Donors at the fund raiser, which held at the Banquet Hall of
the Presidential Villa in Abuja, included businessmen/
women, multinational organizations, PDP governors and
individuals.

Mr. Tunde Ayeni, who was chairman of the event, opened the
set the ball rolling with a donation of N2 billionn on behalf of
himself and unnamed friends while a prominent
businesswoman and friend of the First Family, Hajiya Bola
Shagaya and her friends donated the sum of N5 billion.
The PDP Governors Forum donated N1.05billion. Governor
Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, who spoke on behalf of the
governors, said 21 governors of the party donated N50m
each.

Some of the other donations on the night are: Oil and Gas
sector, N5bn; Transport and Aviation, N1bn; Food and
Agriculture, N500m; Power, N500m; Construction, N310m;
Road Construction, N250m; those in Real Estate and Building
donated N4bn; National Automotive Association, N450m;
Shelter Development Limited, N250m; PDP Rivers State
stakeholders, N50million; Emzor Pharmaceuticals, N50m; the
NDDC governing board, N15m; auto sector, N450m and PDP
youth group, N50m.

Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the fundraiser
committee and former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry
Gana, who donated N5billion on behalf of himself and his
friends, warned that the 2015 general elections would not be
a walk over and urged the party not to underestimate their
opponents.
President Goodluck Jonathan in a brief remark thanked the
donors and pledged that the funds raised would be
judiciously utilised.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, in his
speech reiterated that “Power and glory come from God”
adding that “those who have won should involve everybody
in their campaigns in order to make them family campaigns”.
Present at the event were Vice President Namadi Sambo,
Senate President David Mark, House of Representatives
Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, PDP governors, Ministers
and the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief
Antony Anenih.
The huge donations, according to the Electoral Act,
contravenes the law.

Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits a State
Government from contributing to the election expenses of
any candidate or aspirant.
The Electoral Act Section 91 (90 of the Code of conduct for
Political Parties and Elections limits individual donations and
contributions to a maximum of N1m.

Also, the Electoral Act, Section 91, criminalizes
contravention of limitation on election expenses.
A presidential Candidate, who knowingly contravenes it, is
liable to a maximum fine of N1, 000,000.00 or imprisonment
for a period of 12 months or both.