PDP Primaries: Sharing of money disgraces Nigeria – Adegboruwa 

Legal practitioner Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has described the distribution of money at Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries as shameful.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in a statement said the elections conducted to choose candidates nationwide were heavily monetized and brazenly corrupted.

“The embarrassment to us as a nation is the open display of corruption by an opposition party that is seeking to take over power”, his statement reads.

Adegboruwa lamented the reported wanton disregard for rules, corruption of delegates and voters and imposition of candidates by godfathers.

He said Adamu Namadi, son of ex-Vice President, confessed to bribing delegates with N2million after failing to get the PDP ticket for Kaduna North federal constituency.

The SAN said when he lost the election to a higher bidder, he engaged unorthodox means through vigilantes and hunters to recover his money.

“The embarrassing part of this story is that Mr Namadi confirmed that leaders and major stakeholders of the PDP were well aware of this ugly practice and they even endorsed it.”

Citing another instance, Adegboruwa said in Ondo, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who lost at the primary election, demanded the return of cars and hotel money he gave to party leaders.

He further mentioned Tanko Rossi Sabo, a delegate from Sanga LGA of Kaduna, who publicly displayed bundles of Naira notes he received as a delegate to the PDP presidential primary.

“He shared the loot with members of his community. In the 22 days of his assignment as a delegate, he was able to cough out about N30m from the bribe that he collected from aspirants.”

Adegboruwa said the monumental acts of corruption are being executed by a party that is asking Nigerians to entrust their future in its hands.

“If these are the leaders to occupy public office in our country, then the hope of a better nation will continue to be a pipe dream, I dare say.”

He wondered why security and anti-graft agencies have not found it worthy to interrogate the open bribery and corruption by politicians and their supporters.

Adegnoruwa urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to eradicate unwanted conduct that may undermine the credibility of elections.

The statement also charged the umpire to live up to the expectation of Nigerians by carrying out its statutory responsibilities.