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The unit of the President Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation responsible for mobilizing the civil society has been hit by a corruption scandal that has now paralysed its operations.

Members of the committee are divided over the leadership style of its chairman, Nick Eze, a professor.

They accused Mr. Eze of cornering the kick-off funds he received from the presidency and of sabotaging the entire campaign.

“As far as the presidential campaign organisation is concerned, the Civil Society committee is a fraud,” an aggrieved member told PREMIUM TIMES. “Professor Nick has abandoned his office and is now running the committee from his bedroom.”

Several members of the committee, who spoke with this newspaper, expressed frustration with Mr. Eze’s management of the committee.

“On one occasion, he called a meeting and we asked for accounts, he insulted us and said that he is a personal friend of the president and only reports to him directly,” another committee member said. “We are just committee members on paper.”

The committee is currently dormant as members appear disillusioned and too disgruntled to mobilize voters for the president.

A member of the committee, who said he stopped work since early February, claimed that highhandedness is widespread amongst other committees. He explained that the selfish interest of the committee chairman is the reason the president is going round by himself meeting with every group.

“Ordinarily, we should have done that for the president,” he said.

Mr. Eze dismissed the accusations. He said they were “unfounded” and coming from “jobless people.”

Troubled campaign

Troubles began when Mr. Eze bought a bulletproof Prado SUV, shortly after receiving the kick-off funds. Members of the committee, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, accused the professor of enriching himself with the funds rather than applying it to the campaigns.

They also claim that Mr. Eze cornered other cars meant for the committee and drove them down to his home in Enugu state, South East Nigeria, where he is currently hiding them. He is also accused of not letting money go round committee members and owing sitting allowances.

A committee member said Mr. Eze’s posturing is strengthening claims that the PDP is almost always about “sharing money” even if its earmarked for public good.

PREMIUM TIMES understands that the crisis in the committee peaked early February when angered committee members protested alleged claim by Mr. Eze that he had spent N100 million in organising campaign events.

Some committee members challenged the claim, saying the less than 140 attendees at the events in Abuja and Lagos were drawn locally and paid N3,000 each in stipends.

Members of the committee subsequently complained to the National Campaign Adviser, Tony Anenih.

“He refused to show up after Anenih summoned him,” a member of the committee said. “He was later forced to appear before Anenih after police officers were used to bring him in.”

Several members of the committee are now up in arms against Mr. Eze. Thursday last week, angered members of the committee planned a meeting to pass a vote of no confidence on him and demand his removal as well as a refund of all funds he had so far received.

Shortly before the meeting, Rufai Alkali, the special adviser to the president on political matters and a close friend of Mr. Eze, intervened.

The “temporary truce” was reached in Mr. Alkali’s office, members of the committee told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Eze denied the meeting was over the scandal. He argued that only the chairman can summon meeting and that the absence of minutes from the Thursday meeting invalidates its existence.

“Committee members did not give me money,” he said in defence of accusations he is not accountable.

The no-confidence vote was stalled but committee members remain angered and are spoiling for fresh showdown with Mr. Eze.

The spokesperson for the Campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, did not answer or return calls seeking his comments for this story.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/177413-corruption-scandal-rocks-jonathan-campaign-committee.html?share=email&nb=1

BEFORE NKO, NO BE CORRUPTUON BE THEIR PARTY FIRST NAME?

sherrylo:
BEFORE NKO, NO BE CORRUPTUON BE THEIR PARTY FIRST NAME?

LoL. Na so o

Everybody wan chop jona money b4 Nigerians go kick am out

midolian:
LoL. Na so o

Everybody wan chop jona money b4 Nigerians go kick am out

How is Nigeria's wealth, jonathan's money. Hmmm no wonder we have no protests on the street when we see corrupt practices staring at us on the face

Lol see GBEGE . Corruption everywhere. Another name for Gej is corruption.
Every body is using any available channel to enrich his/her purse because we av a president who thinks ordinary STEALING is not CORRUPTION .

I will be surprised if there is any money left in the nation's treasury after may 29.

Corruption or no corruption any leader than can provide me with stable power supply @ least 20h a day and low tariff on bis say N100 bis a month, will deserve my vote forever if him like make e account name be federal republic of nigeria I nor care just give me light n bis.....thank you all

We will set up a committee to look into that

Boss13:
How is Nigeria's wealth, jonathan's money. Hmmm no wonder we have no protests on the street when we see corrupt practices staring at us on the face

you are right my broda..I decided not to call it Nigeria's wealth because they claim it is theirs and its nt bn proven odawise, even thou I know its ours (Nigeria's wealth).

iphanyiuma:
Corruption or no corruption any leader than can provide me with stable power supply @ least 20h a day and low tariff on bis say N100 bis a month, will deserve my vote forever

You really think you, your kids or Grandkids wil ever know what it feels like to get constant electricity in a place that's plagued with endemic corruption like Nigeria?

Keep dreaming.

ISpiksDaTroof:
You really think you, your kids or Grandkids wil ever know what it feels like to get constant electricity in a place that's plagued with endemic corruption like Nigeria?

Keep dreaming.

some People tho...just brainless...read that post before quoting shii that doesn't make any sense

themilanway:
I will be surprised if there is any money left in the nation's treasury after may 29.

very competent sources and this is with all sense of responsibility are saying the treasury is almost empty. Nigeria have never witnessed this type of massive looting of the whole treasury before. Even GMB already raised the alarm.
God help us.

Useless party

PentiumPro:
very competent sources and this is with all sense of responsibility are saying the treasury is almost empty. Nigeria have never witnessed this type of massive looting of the whole treasury before. Even GMB already raised the alarm.
God help us.

The more reason we need to return that man to Otuoke with"no shoes"on may 29

patrickmuf:
Useless party

honestly bro, I keep wondering what the remaining few see in this party that makes them chant "GEJ till bla bla bla".

If not ignorance, bigotry, selfishness, then nothing more.

This should be expected in pdp camp, as a matter fact its coming too late.

front page...........

themilanway:
The more reason we need to return that man to Otuoke with"no shoes"on may 29

my broda, Please Vote Change #PVC

If true, this is common stealing nah! This is not corruption.

Its should bother anyone since its mere stealing which is not corruption.

Demdem:
Barcanista new found friends.......

honestly, I jst feel you r making this guy feel important.

iphanyiuma:
some People tho...just brainless...read that post before quoting shii that doesn't make any sense

You will never get electricity--- or a stable society for that matter--- if corruption is not reduced to the barest minimum.