By CHARLES KUMOLU

In a society where being the ruling party at any level of government translates to enormous leverage and financial muscle, the polity is perplexed with claims and counter-claims that the national leadership of the  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is broke.

FOR many, who are used to claims that the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, is the largest political party in Africa, recent reports that the party’s National Headquarters is  experiencing financial distress, has remained a source of concern.

Anyone, who is familiar with the party’s rise from a group of 34 elder statesmen, who dared the then dreaded military ruler, late Gen. Sani Abacha in 1998, to a party of billionaires in this era, will find the latest development puzzling.

That this report is coming barely three months after the party, at its June 2012 three-day Induction/Policy Retreat Organised for members of its National Working Committee, NWC,reviewed its funding strategy, has also contributed to the astonishment of many.

The party, particularly, premised  the retreat held at Uyo on  three sub-themes;  membership drive, strategy for funding and party discipline.

And it consequently,  “resolved that the National Working Committee must review the party’s funding mechanism and embark on creative, credible and all inclusive ways of raising funds for the party’s programme.’’

But this latest allegations of insolvency seems to have cast a lot of doubt and raised many questions on the funding of the party under the chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

The alarm
The National Headquarters of the party, it will be recalled,  was recently reported to be on the verge of being broke.

The report which was published by Sahara reporters, stated thus: ‘’Several sources at the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party have described the party as being close to broke. One source, who is a founding member of the party, told SaharaReporters that the poor state of the PDP’s finances forced officials to shelve any plan to organize a formal celebration of the 14th anniversary of the party’s existence.’’

PDP Chairman, Bamanga Tukur

Implications for PDP leadership
‘’Two of our sources attributed the party’s financial woes to a decision by several PDP governors to turn their backs on the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee of the party. Many of our governors are paying back President Goodluck Jonathan for imposing Dr. Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman.’’

In the face of this, questions have popped up  on the validity of the reasons behind the alleged development and its implication for the PDP leadership.

Speaking on the matter, a chieftain of the party, who pleaded anonymity, said:’’We are all aware of the intrigues that eventually produced Tukur against the wish of the governors. So, we are not surprised with the said development, but  the PDP cannot be broke. Maybe the NWC is no longer getting so much donations from the governors. I can’t say if the claims have anything to do with 2015 because the President has not said that he is contesting.

‘’Continuing, the PDP chieftain, added, ‘’I hope that you remember that Niger  State governor, had at one time told the NWC members to desist from relying on governors for fund. So, that tells you that the governors a re not obliged to give them money because the party constitution makes it clear on how our party should be funded.’’

It would be recalled that the Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum and the Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, while paying a courtesy call on the leadership of the party on May 7, told Tukur that it was wrong for the party to beg its governors and other elected officials for money as it would erode the powers of the party to discipline any errant member.

“The party should stop begging us (governors) for money. If you come to beg for money from me and I have to gather people and collect money to give you, when I do wrong, how do you discipline me?”he asked.

However, attempts to speak to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olise Metuh, was not successful as calls to his mobile phone did not go through. But a source told Vanguard that when Metu and some NWC members were contacted on the matter before now, mum was the word.

Position of the party’s constitution  on funding
Instructively, Article 18 of the PDP Constitution states: ‘’There shall be and established and maintained for the party a fund into which shall be paid all; subscription,fees and levies from the membership of the party, proceeds from investment made by the party, subventions and donations, group and grants by individuals or group of individuals as authorised by the law, loans approved by the national executive committee, such other monies as may be lawfully received by the party.’’

In addition, the  retired Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais  committee on Electoral Reforms recommended that  parties should be encouraged to raise funds of their own through sale of forms to candidates, fund raising exercises, individual or corporate donations as well as  undertaking commercial activities.

It  further recommend  donations from politicians as support to the parties.  The recommended  ceiling on donation from individuals towards elections include;  President, N20 million; Governor, N15 million; Senate, N10 million; House of Representatives, N5 million; State Houses, N2.5 million; Chairmanship of Local Government, N3 million and Councillorship, N500,000.

What NWC members earn
Nonetheless, the NWC,it will be recalled, recently fixed salaries for its members against the former arrangement where allowances were only paid to them after meetings. This was courtesy of a proposal by the NWC, which was raised in July 2012.

Under the the new arrangement, Tukur with a monthly salary of N2 million, will be earning more than President Goodluck Jonathan whose annual salary is N14 millon.

Annual salary
The Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, will receive N1.7 million monthly and National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, will take home N1.5 million monthly.

Other members of NWC, Onwe Solomon Onwe, Deputy National Secretary; National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; National Women Leader, Chief Kema Chikwe; the National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani, and others, will go home with N1.2 million each, monthly.

According to the  package, the NWC members would also receive N5,000 weekly allowance. The NWC members will also be entitled to housing, vehicle and furniture allowances.

It was that gathered that the rationale for the new development, was to discourage members of the NWC from going to the party’s governor’s cap in hand. But with the current allegations of the NWC’s insolvency, it seems the salary structure, is  far from making the NWC members independent of state governors.