MOTHERLAND NIGERIA: ARTICLE

OBASANJO STATEMENT
REGARDING THE 130 MILLION NAIRA DONATION TO THE PDP PARTY

"Attending the meeting of the Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party for the first time as a trustee on Wednesday 11, 1998, I listened with other trustees of the party to the difficult financial situation of the party. Appeal was made to trustees and party members for generous donation to strengthen the party structure.

"I see a strong party structure from the ward level to the national level, as the only basis for the construction of any viable presidential campaign.

"In line with the guideline on donation of funds for elections, I have had pledges of donations for my campaign in seeking the nomination of the party and in seeking national mandate thereafter. After listening to the dire needs of the party, I considered the needs of the party more urgent and deserving in time than my campaign needs. I therefore voluntarily sacrificed my campaign donation pledges to the organs of the PDP - N100,000 to each party local government and N50 million to party national, zonal and state headquarters in instalments.

"All pledges for donations for my campaign which are re-pledged to the party emanate from Nigerian friends and supporters. Furthermore, they all satisfy my laid down criteria of wholesomeness and non-beholding to any individual or group of shady or unsavoury characters. Funding for my campaign must be donation and not investment. This is already stipulated in a Campaign Code of Conduct issued on November 4, 1998, a copy of which is attached.

"For reason of keeping faith, we must maintain the confidentiality of the donors. But I assure people that the sources of pledges to my campaign funds are wholesome, credible and Nigerian based.

"If at anytime and for any reason, the agent set up for the independent conduct of elections desires, equitably, to scrutinise the sources of pledges and donations to campaign funds, we will gladly comply. I assume that all other parties and candidates will be willing to subject themselves to the same scrutiny.

"I will not do anything today that is unlawful and that may hold me hostage against tomorrow, or prevent my freedom of action as I may deem right and proper."