Chatham House: Buhari Spent N5bn to Give Speech – PDP Alleged

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) yesterday alleged that the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, spent not less than N5billion to give a speech at the Chatham House, London, last week.

PDPPCO director of media and publicity, Femi Fani-Kayode, made this claim while speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday.

He said: “The information at our disposal indicates that no less than N5 billion was budgeted for the London jamboree. This amount was wasted on General Buhari’s Chatham House speaking engagement, numerous foreign consultants, air tickets for the huge delegation, the contingent of governors, hotel bills, the purchase and renting of vehicles and other logistics. We challenge the APC and its leaders to contradict this information.”

However, the APC national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, described the allegations as unfounded.

He said: “Clearly, PDP, Fani-Kayode and President Jonathan cannot recover from the success and sterling performance of General Buhari at the Chatham House Lecture. Our advice to them is to arrange a similar outing in Chatham House and let the world know what they have for the people”.

Mohammed also stated that the party did not have such huge amount of money, noting that if they did, they would put it on their campaign. He also called on Fani-Kayode to refrain from unhealthy propaganda and engage in issues-based politics.

But Fani-Kayode has challenged the APC to make General Buhari available for debates in Nigeria.

“If, as the APC now claims, he performed very well during his procured speaking engagement. We also wish to ask if General Buhari is now a candidate seeking election in the United Kingdom or in Nigeria, after running away from debates organized by the Nigerian media.

“The ‘arrangee’ Chatham House event is another ploy, like the purported London interview, to hoodwink Nigerians and prevent General Buhari from debating in Nigeria. But we insist, General Buhari must debate in Nigeria,” he said. (Leadership)