2023: Atiku Not Willing To Release Funds For Campaigns Now – PDP Chieftain

A member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has claimed that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is unwilling to release money for campaigns at the moment.

There were claims that Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State was planning to resign as the Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council due to paucity of funds to prosecute campaigns.

However, speaking on Tuesday during the flag-off of the governorship campaign in Uyo, Emmanuel described reports that he plans to dump Atiku and his running mate and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as false.

Reacting to the development in a chat with The Punch, the South-West PDP chieftain who craved anonymity said he’s not surprised that funding issue has come up.

He dismissed insinuations that Atiku is probably broke, saying that the presidential candidate wants to start releasing money towards the end of the campaign.

The PDP chieftain opined that the former Vice President should be blamed for the speculation because of his rift with the aggrieved governors.

He said Atiku once boasted in the presence of some governors that he had billions of naira to prosecute his campaign.

He said, “There have been complaints that Atiku is unwilling to release money for campaigns. But Atiku once boasted in the presence of some governors that he had billions of naira to prosecute his campaign. That is why some of them are just looking at him and are not ready to contribute to his campaign.

“Some governors are not sure of their chances and are reluctant to open the purse. This might change in the weeks ahead, though.

“He is learning from the experience of 2019. He lost that election, but he is probably wiser now. What I can’t say is whether things will pan out differently this time. He has told those close to him that he will release money at the appropriate time.”