The All Progressives Congress (APC) has eventually confirmed that a parcel containing a sum of money in US dollars was stolen at its national secretariat in Abuja.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Felix Morka, who gave the confirmation in a statement on Thursday, 28th April 2022, put the figure of the missing money at $50,000.
He however clarified that the money did not belong to the party nor was it connected with the proceeds from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms.
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It would be recalled that there was a serious melodrama on Wednesday, 27th April 2022 at the National Headquarters of the APC in Abuja, after the parcel containing the cash was reportedly stolen.
According to reports, the cash was stolen while members of the party were struggling to gain access to the secretariat of the party for the purchase of their Nomination and Expression of Interest forms.
Reacting to the development, Mr. Morka in a statement issued on the said date, titled “Re: Lost money at APC national secretariat” disclosed that the missing money had no connection with the party.
He explained that all money meant for the forms were paid directly to designated bank accounts, adding that the money in question was reported lost by an individual at the entrance to the party secretariat.
“On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, a sum of $50,000 was reported lost by an individual around the entrance gate of the National Secretariat of the party,” the statement reads.
“To be clear, the lost money does not belong to the Party. In any event, the fee for the said forms is set and denominated in Naira not US Dollars.
“The loss is neither connected with proceeds of sale of forms nor with relocation of the venue for the collection of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, from the secretariat grounds to the International Conference Centre.”
It’s noteworthy that the APC recently relocated the party’s venue for the onward collection of the forms obtained by the aspirants, after filling them as required, to the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
“As widely advertised and reported in major news outlets, all purchases of forms are payable to designated bank accounts of the party.” the statement added.
On why the party also shifted the venue for the collection of forms to the ICC, Mr. Morka explained that it was to ease the heavy human and vehicular traffic around the secretariat being caused by those who had thronged the place for their forms.
The Nigerian politicians are really amusing and dramatic in their actions as well as the way and manner they respond to trending issues concerning their activities.
How could a spokesman of an organization issue a press statement targeted to aptly inform the members of the public, but ended up confusing them? The released statement rather caused confusion in the head of the observers.
Why didn’t Mr. Morka use the same avenue to notify interested Nigerians what the missing money was meant for, or whose belonging it was? Probably, he was of the view that such information wasn’t necessary.
But, how could someone ‘boldly and proudly’ steal a certain sum of money kept in a public domain, without minding the implications of his or her actions afterwards? Isn’t it intriguing?
Time has really come for Nigeria’s politicians to turn a new leaf, especially at this era when they are seriously seeking the people’s support and votes.