How Ex-Minister Sango Allegedly Diverted One Billion Naira, Atiku Abubakar Campaign Fund

Yakubu Busari

The embattled Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State, Hon. Damishi Sango has been caught in the web of alleged diversion of one billion naira leading to the  signing of a claim “illegal” sacking which this medium gathered were being sponsored by a third party “to cripple the very promising petitions at the elections tribunal.”

He was accused of being masterminding his kidnapping during the National convention of PDP where many governors donated enough for his immediate release in the hands of alleged kidnappers.

The drama turned the former Minister of Sports a multi-Millionaire but the one billion released by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to help  canvass support for his Presidential ambition went into Sango private account and didn’t leave until this dangerous plot led to his removal.

Mr. Sango in a counter-statement on his purported sacking said the actions of the 16 officials that signed his suspension were “a morbid attempt to divide the party and cause disaffection and confusion.”

The statement released on Wednesday refuted all the claims upon supporting his purported suspension.

It also declared the decision as null and void having been taken by 16 out of 72 State Executive Committee (SEC) members of the Party.

The Statement reads:  RE-RESOLUTIONS OF THE PLATEAU STATE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY EXECUTIVE MADE ON THE 24TH DAY OF APRIL 2019 HELD AT THE STATE PARTY SECRETARIAT.

 

We rose up this morning to the rude and toxic news that 16 members  of the “State Executives” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) passed a vote of no confidence against the party Chairman Hon Damishi Sango and the Deputy Chairman Hon Amos Gombi Goyol.

 

They released a statement statement stating that their action was motivated by so-called imminent issues arising from elections  and party affairs.

Their claim that they took the action to save the party does not hold water because we see their action as a morbid attempt to divide the party and cause disaffection and confusion.

 

Or else, the State Executive Committee (SEC) is made up of 72 officers and  how can 16 of them constitute the SEC to take such a serious action for a whole party?

 

Be that as it may, and for the avoidance of doubts, here are our responses to the issues they raised:

 

1.Suspension of Party Chairman and his Deputy. This is illegal as the 16 did not follow the constituional requirements.

A.Resources sent to the state for the presidential elections.   We state that this matter was appropriately reported to the State Campaign Council. The template was also discussed and approved by the Campaign Council. It was not to be reported to the party since it was the party that constituted the council.

 

In addition, the funds were not signed for and collected by the party Chairman and/or his Deputy as alleged. Rather, the funds were rightly signed for and collected for by a team led by the gubernatorial candidate, and this was disclosed in full to the State Campaign Council

 

1. Money for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

It is true that the Deputy Chairman was chairman of committee handling the IDP funds. Other members were Vice Chairman, Northern Senatorial Zone Hon. Chris Hassan, State Organising Secretary Yabuku Chocho, Chairmanship Candidate of Jos North LGA Hon Aminu Zang, Vice Chairman Central Zone, Hon. Benedict Shignuhul, and Assistant State Secretary of the party Hon Felix  Penswang who was also the Secretary of the committee. The sum of N3.1m was realised from various contributors. The committee then made Hon Penswang as chairman of the subcommittee to buy the items. His members are the State Financial Secretary Mrs Mary Adar – gar and PDP Chairman of Jos North LGA Aminu Abdullah. The entire money was handed over to Hon Penswang who bought the materials and reported back to the main committee. But the materials were not distributed. As far as we are concerned what happened to the materials afterwards can best be explained by the chairman of the three member committee Hon Pienswang who signed the letter suspending the State chair and deputy not the State deputy Chairman.

 

C.RETREAT FUNDS: We want to State that the money for the retreat amounting to N2.6m and other funds of the party were domiciled in Sterling Bank. However, these sums were garnished by a court order on all PDP accounts – national and state following a judgement against the  national secretariat of the PDP. This situation has been consistently reported at SEC and SWC meetings. The Chairman of the Retreat Committee, Hon Chris Hassan who is illegally being touted as the interim chairman of the party  is very much in the know of these facts and cannot claim ignorance of same.

 

D.Arbitrary Substitution in Wase. The substitution was done based on the report of the Appeal Committee formed and sent by the  national secretariat of the party. It was not a substitution made by the chairman, deputy or the State secretariat of the party. In any case, which election did PDP win in Wase,  since the party lost the presidential, senatorial, House of Reps,  guber and house of assembly elections in Wase?

 

2.Dissolution of State Campaign Council. For the avoidance of doubt, the SEC which set up the Campaign Council is made up of over 72 members. And 16 who signed the illegal suspension order cannot therefore form a quorum to dissolve the council. So, this is another illegality.

 

3.Drawing from the relevant portions of the PDP constitution, therfore, Hon Chris Hassan cannot take over the reigns of the party. Chapter 10 of the PDP constitution 2017 as amended spells out specific disciplinary procedures against officers who are suspected of committing infractions against the party.  The Chairman of the party who is also a NEC member.

 

In conclusion, we have come across very reliable information that the action of the 16 is being sponsored by a third force to cripple the very promising petitions at the elections tribunal. And we want to state here in clear terms that this action will fail woefully.

 

Hon. Damishi Sango  – Chairman

 

Hon. Emmanuel Tuang – Secrtary

 

PDP Plateau State

 

24th April 2019.

 

Cc:

1.National Chairman,

Peoples Democratic Party

Wadata Plaza

Plot 1970 Michael Okpara St. Wuse Zone 6

 

2.The Chairman, Board of Trustees, PDP

 

3.State Executve Committee,

C/O The State Secretary,

PDP Plateau State

 

4.The Inspector General of Police, Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House

Area 11, Garki

 

5.Commissioner of Police

Plateau State

JD Gomwalk Road Jos

 

6.The Director State Security

Department of Security Services, Plateau State Command

 

7.Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni, PDP 2019 Gubernatorial Candidate, Plateau State.