President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday acknowledged the receipt of a total of N98.75m donation and pledges from persons, groups and communities who offered to assist him to pay for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nomination fee.
The PDP had pegged its Presidential Nomination Fee at N20m and its Expression of Interest Form at N2m, making a total of N22m required from a presidential aspirant.
In acknowledging the donations, Jonathan said he would pick up the nomination form on Thursday.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President thanked all Nigerians who have been urging him to seek re-election based on his administration’s achievements in the last four years.
The statement read in part, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will tomorrow, Thursday, October 30 pick up the PDP nomination form for the 2015 Presidential elections.
“President Jonathan thanks all Nigerians, members of the PDP, friends, associates, and all groups who in sincere appreciation of the achievements of the administration in the last four years, have been urging him to seek a second term in office.
“President Jonathan is greatly encouraged by the overwhelming outpouring of goodwill and support, as well as the confidence of the generality of Nigerians in his ability to continue to transform the country for the good of all of its people.
“The President is also grateful to all the persons, groups and communities who have sent donations, and made pledges to assist him to pay the required N22m for the PDP Presidential Nomination Fee and Expression of Interest Form.”
Thirty six groups and communities as well as two individuals contributed the money.
According to the breakdown of the donations and pledges received by the President made available to journalists, the highest donors are the PDP Governors Forum and the Transformation Agenda of Nigeria that donated N22m each.
Culled from Punch