By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THE leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, led by Chief Dan Orbih, has been accused of allegedly receiving the sum of N500 million for the presidential election of former President Goodluck Jonathan without the knowledge of leaders of the party.

Vanguard gathered that the money which was part of the N2.1 billion allegedly shared by the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), was said to have been paid into the account of the Edo State PDP through one Hartman Company, belonging to a national leader of the party in the state.

Vanguard was informed that the matter which is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, led the commission to contact the Orbih-led executive to confirm if such amount was received in the state.

It was learned that in their reply to the commission, the party executive agreed that the said amount was received and was disbursed to party executives and leaders across the 18 local government areas of the state for the Jonathan campaign.

The revelation, it was gathered angered some members of the state exco of the PDP and party leaders who expressed shock that they never knew that such money came and that was part of the reasons most of the leaders called for the removal of the Orbih-led exco.