- PDP aspirants in southeast have kicked against levies demanded by the party
- The southeast zone of the party reportedly asked candidates to pay some money
- The party however, said the levy is to run the party effectively
Some aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in southeast have accused the party of exploitation after they were all asked to pay levies ranging from N100, 000 to N2 million per aspirant.
Vanguard reports that the southeast zone of the party asked aspirants to pay the levy in order to renovate its newly rented office at Independence Layout, Enugu.
Incumbent House of Assembly members were asked to pay N200, 000 while new aspirants will pay N100, 000.
The incumbent House of Representatives members were levied N1 million each and the new aspirants N500,000. Incumbent senators were asked to pay N2 million and aspirants N1 million, while incumbent governers will N5 million and governorship aspirants N1 million each.
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The decision did not go down well with many members of the party who viewed the demand as a way to exploit aspirants.
The former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi was one of those who kicked against the levy. Obi reportedly advised that such levy is too much, especially for new Aspirants who should be encouraged.
The national vice chairman of the party in the zone, Deacon Austin Umahi, while explaining the party's decision said the money isn't exactly a tax.
Umahi said: “We are not task masters. To put the record straight, expanded zonal executive held a meeting in her zonal office Enugu and passed a resolution on agreed amount to be contributed by every aspirant and incumbent to run the party in the zone.
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“It was overwhelmingly agreed and approved with a voice vote. PDP is a party of due process, rule of law and all inclusive and therefore, no single individual has that right to tax aspirants.
“Party administration and logistics are not run with sand but money to meet up all her daily financial obligations.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that several presidential aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly kicked against the decision of the party to reduce the number of the aspirants or choose a consensus candidate.
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Source: Naija.ng
