{"id":121466,"date":"2025-08-17T05:45:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T04:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=121466"},"modified":"2025-08-17T05:45:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T04:45:58","slug":"bye-election-n25-9m-for-party-agents-welfare-not-vote-buying-pdp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/bye-election-n25-9m-for-party-agents-welfare-not-vote-buying-pdp\/","title":{"rendered":"Bye Election: N25.9m for party agents’ welfare, not vote buying – PDP"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Myke Agunwa<\/div>\n
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Following the seizure of N25.9 million by security operatives with the allegation that the sum was meant for vote buying, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna has claimed that the money was for the welfare of its 5,000 party agents, supervisors, and collation officers.<\/div>\n
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Recall that police officers on Saturday arrested one Shehu Patangi with cash totalling N25,963,000 at a popular hotel located along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis. They alleged that the cash was to induce voters during the polls.<\/div>\n
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Bye-elections took place on Saturday in three constituencies in Kaduna \u2014 Chikun\/Kajuru federal constituency, Basawa state constituency, and Zaria\/Kewaye state constituency.<\/div>\n
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In a press conference on Saturday, the PDP chairman, Kaduna State Chairman, Edward Masha said the N25.9 million was not meant for vote buying as alleged by the police.<\/div>\n
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Masha said PDP mobilised over 6,000 agents across the three constituencies for the exercise, adding that the funds were meant for the welfare of the agents and supervisors.<\/div>\n
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\u201cLet me make it clear that the money was for election logistics.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe have 169 polling units. We have party agents, supervisors, and collation officers across the three constituencies. Even if you give them N3,000 each, it is over N30 million.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThat is the reality. To now turn around and say it was for vote buying is mischievous and an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The Kaduna PDP chairman alleged that the party has been the target of harassment by security operatives \u201cat the behest of the Kaduna state government\u201d.<\/div>\n
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According him, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is using state institutions to intimidate the opposition<\/div>\n
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Masha said security operatives on Friday raided the campaign council office of Esther Dawaki, the PDP candidate for the Chikun\/Kajuru federal constituency.<\/div>\n
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He claimed that party officials, including the state publicity secretary, zonal chairman, youth leader, women leaders, and over 18 others, were whisked away during the raid.<\/div>\n
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Pointblanknews.com had reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting bye-elections to fill vacant seats in the National and State Assemblies across 12 states of the federation.<\/div>\n
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He explained that the vacancies arose from resignations, deaths, and court-ordered annulments.<\/div>\n
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The affected constituencies include Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts; Ovia South West\/Ovia South East (Edo), Babura\/Garki (Jigawa), Chikun\/Kajuru (Kaduna), Ikenne\/Shagamu\/Remo North (Ogun), and Ibadan North (Oyo) Federal Constituencies. The nine State Assembly seats are Ganye (Adamawa), Onitsha North I (Anambra), Dekina\/Okura (Kogi), Zaria Kewaye and Basawa (Kaduna<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n