The Peoples Democratic Party National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih, has insisted that he was never at any meeting where the issue of housing loans was discussed and approved by members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Chief Orbih while shedding more light on the return of N122.4 million paid into the accounts of its National Working Committee members by its national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, challenged those who say that the payment went through due, to release the minutes and details of the meeting where the approval was given.
Orbih, while speaking to Truthlive.net in an interview on Wednesday, however, asserted that the money paid to them was refunded because a newspaper had already carried a report that they have been bribed with such amount and the national chairman was not forthcoming with any explanation concerning the funds’ transfer.
In his words, “I was never in any meeting when that approval was given. We also established that they should say the date the meeting took place when that approval was given. It was also observed by all those who returned the money that their decision to return the money was based on the story reported in The Nation Newspapers that the money was a bribe.
Chief Orbih also told our correspondent that one Timothy Osadolor who is currently being quoted in some media houses who claimed that the payment went through proper process is not even a member of the NWC let alone attending a meeting with the issue was allegedly discussed and approved.
Recall that Truthlive.net had reported that about four members of the NWC got over N100 million paid into their accounts in September.
Other NWC members who returned the money along with chief Dan Orbih, were the National Vice Chairman (South-West), Olasoji Adagunodo; Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja and National Women Leader, Prof. Stella Affah-Attoe.
While Arapaja got N36 million, Adagunodo, Orbih, and Effah-Attoe got N28.8 million each.
Orbih in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja on Tuesday night said he was never in any meeting when the approval for the payment of the money was given.
“So, the issue that the money was not a bribe or a bribe is neither here nor there. That was why we set up a panel to find out how that information got to The Nation Newspapers that the money was paid. That was it. There is nobody that is under trial.