As the search for persons involved in the arms procurement fund lingers, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has absorbed its National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, of any wrong doing.
The SDP made the declaration in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abdul Isiaq, on Sunday in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria.
As stated by the party, the 100 million Naira that was received by Falae from Tony Anenih, was meant for the SDP/PDP Electoral Alliance project.
They also explained that the money was shared to all the 36 state chapters of the party in the build-up to the 2015 elections.
The party maintained that “neither the SDP nor Mr Falae was aware that the money came from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, through Chief Anenih and meant for arms purchase”
The party stressed that “the SDP as well as many Nigerians were aware that the PDP had a fund raising event prior to the election where billions of naira was donated”.
They stated that the party was also conscious of the fact that the PDP had ruled Nigeria for 16 years and expected that they capable of funding their part of the electoral alliance.
The statement emphasised that neither the SDP nor Chief Olu Falae had anything to do with the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.
As stated by the statement, “SDP was approached by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, for electoral alliance for the re-election of the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”
The statement also stated that Mr Falae, being the National Chairman of SDP, summoned the National Executive Committee of the party to a well-attended meeting to consider the PDP’s proposal of Electoral Alliance for the re-election bid of former President Jonathan since SDP did not field a presidential candidate of its own.