The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the political platform led by former presidential candidate Peter Obi, has been hit by a fresh wave of controversy as a Senatorial aspirant formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N20 million fraud.
The aspirant, whose identity is currently being protected by investigators, accuses the party’s Senatorial Screening Committee of using “misrepresentation, undue influence, and coercive pressure” to illicitly obtain funds during the candidate selection process.
The Allegation: A “Pay-to-Play” Scheme?
According to the formal petition submitted to the EFCC Chairman in Abuja, the crisis began after the aspirant had already complied with the party’s official financial requirements. Sources familiar with the case revealed that the aspirant purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for N3,000,000, as stipulated in the NDC’s official guidelines.
However, after fulfilling these requirements, members of the screening committee allegedly cornered the aspirant, demanding an additional “intervention” fee of N20,000,000.
“The matter revolves around fraudulent inducement and obtaining money by false pretense,” a source close to the legal team stated. “Our client was led to believe that this payment was a mandatory part of the screening process, only to realize it was a scheme of extortion and misrepresentation.”
Evidence submitted to the anti-graft agency reportedly includes a handwritten document provided to the aspirant by committee members. The note contained specific banking instructions:
Account Name: NDC
Account Number: 1046691859
Bank First City Monument Bank (FCMB)
Payment receipts obtained by investigators confirm that the N20 million was indeed transferred into the designated account. The aspirant’s legal team is now urging the EFCC to investigate the trail of the funds and determine if they were used for party operations or diverted by high-ranking individuals within the screening hierarchy.
Echoes of Kenneth Okonkwo’s Bribery Claims
This development follows a high-profile fallout between Peter Obi and a former party chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo. Earlier this week, Okonkwo released what he termed “incriminating evidence” regarding the South-East screening process.
Okonkwo alleged that Obi and other NDC leaders in the region demanded N10 million from House of Representatives aspirants and N20 million from Senatorial hopefuls under the guise of “consensus building.”
Quoting another aggrieved aspirant, Obunike Ohaegbu, Okonkwo claimed: “When [Ohaegbu] confronted the party on who authorized the payment, the party named Peter Obi and the caucus leaders assembled by him.”
A Legal Firestorm
The allegations have triggered a fierce legal response from the Peter Obi camp. Through his lead counsel, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), the former governor has denied any involvement in financial irregularities, demanding a public apology and N5 billion in damages from Okonkwo for defamation.
However, the new EFCC petition adds a layer of criminal investigation to what was previously a political spat. The petitioner argues that the “consensus” arrangements were a sham.
“If aspirants were directed to participate in primaries while candidate lists were allegedly being prepared elsewhere for a fee, then the word ‘fraud’ must have a new meaning,” the petition read.
The Road Ahead
As the EFCC begins its review of the documents, the NDC faces a crisis of confidence. The aspirant’s legal team has vowed to follow the case to its logical conclusion, insisting that the integrity of the democratic process is at stake.
“This isn’t just about the money; it’s about the betrayal of the ‘New Nigeria’ mantra that the NDC claims to represent,” the source added.
The EFCC is expected to invite members of the NDC Senatorial Screening Committee for questioning in the coming days.
