Naira Rains Supreme As Govs, Businessmen & Others Donate N21.27 Billion To PDP

President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid received a major boost on Saturday, as businessmen, multinational organisations, interest groups and individuals donated the sum of N21.27bn to support his campaign for the 2015 presidential election. The naira rain was at the Peoples Democratic Party Fund Raising Dinner held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The chairman of the occasion, Mr. Tunde Ayeni, set the ball rolling, when he announced a donation of N2 billion.

He said the sum consisted of N1 billion donated by him and his partner, and another N1 billion contributed by their unnamed friends.

Players in the Oil and Gas sector announced a donation of N5bn; those in Real Estate and Building donated N4bn; Transport and Aviation, N1bn; Food and Agriculture, N500m; Power, N500m; Construction, N310m; Road Construction, N250m; National Automative Association, N450m; and Shelter Development Limited, N250m.

The Chairman of the fundraiser committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said his friends and associates in the power sector were donating N5bn.

The PDP Governors Forum announced a total donation of N1.05billion. The Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, who spoke on behalf of the PDP governors, said each 21 of them would donate N50m each.

The SIFAX Group announced N100m donation, while PDP stakeholders in Rivers State supported Jonathan’s bid with N50m. The 15 states on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission donated a total of N15million, among other donations.

Mr. Joseph Makanju, representative of the Chief Fund Raiser and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said his principal, who was outside the country, did not leave a mandate. He, however, promised that as soon as Dangote returned to the country, he would personally see the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’Azu, to offer his support. Makanju assured those at the event that his principal would justify his position as the Chief Fund Raiser with his donation.

Donation pledge forms were made available to guests at the event for personal donations. Jonathan, in his remarks, described Saturday as a special day, due to the fundraiser. He thanked the donors, while assuring them that the funds would not be wasted or misused. “I thank everyone who made donation tonight,” said Jonathan.

The President stated that the money was for the PDP, stressing that the amounted generated would help to run the PDP better.

Source: SaharaReporters