The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur has refuted claims that Northern governors donated 1billion naira for his biography the “Global Villager”
He said all donations were voluntary made by friends and associates of Alh. Bamanga Tukur whose family arranged and fully sponsored both his 77th Birthday celebration and the book launch.
Special Assistant (Media Matters) to the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Ujudud Shariff, in a release said “attention of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji (Dr.) Bamanga Tukur has been drawn to a false and misleading report in the media particularly, some on-line news service, alleging that some Northern Governors on the platform of the party have paid a whopping N1 billion for the launching of recent biography of the PDP National Chairman.
“The malicious report which was posted on one of the on-line portals, Sahara Reporters on September 26, 2012 was clearly bereft of truth and substance, as no Governor or group of Governor’s from the North-East Zone where the PDP helmsman hails from, have made any financial donation or contribution at the book launch, titled “The Global Villager”.
Also Dr. Bamanga Tukur had never, at any time, requested or solicited for monetary donations for the launch of the book whether from any State Government, public officer or any private individual.
“All donations were voluntary made by friends and associates of Alh.
Bamanga Tukur whose family arranged and fully sponsored both his 77th Birthday celebration and the book launch.
“Therefore, this pre-meditated calumnious report by Sahara Reporters was, at best, an interesting piece of fiction and junk journalism which has become a thriving past time of some sections of the media.
“Their seeming agenda being to blackmail the National Chairman and to deprive him of his popularity among PDP supporters. This will not work.
“We therefore, call on the sponsors of the offending on-line news organ (Sahara Reporters) to cease or desist from this mischief of spreading falsehood and disaffection among Nigerians and PDP members.
“It is also important, fair and a professional decency for media outfits like Sahara Reportersto be factual in their news reports, rather than exploiting readers occasional disposition to their news medium to cast aspersion on the PDP National Chairman and, at the same time, take the gullibility of reading public and event watchers for granted.”