Naira Rain at Jonathan's Re-election fund raising. Raised over N21b.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night
demonstrated why it is the largest political party in
Africa as its fund raising dinner towards President
Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015 generated
over N21 billion.
Donors at the fund raiser, which held at the Banquet
Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, included
businessmen/women, multinational organizations, PDP
governors and individuals.
Mr. Tunde Ayeni, who was chairman of the event,
opened the set the ball rolling with a donation of N2
billionn on behalf of himself and unnamed friends
while a prominent businesswoman and friend of the
First Family, Hajiya Bola Shagaya and her friends
donated the sum of N5 billion.
The PDP Governors Forum donated N1.05billion.
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, who spoke on
behalf of the governors, said 21 governors of the party
donated N50m each.
Some of the other donations on the night are: Oil and
Gas sector, N5bn; Transport and Aviation, N1bn; Food
and Agriculture, N500m; Power, N500m; Construction,
N310m; Road Construction, N250m; those in Real
Estate and Building donated N4bn; National
Automotive Association, N450m; Shelter Development
Limited, N250m; PDP Rivers State stakeholders,
N50million; Emzor Pharmaceuticals, N50m; the NDDC
governing board, N15m; auto sector, N450m and PDP
youth group, N50m.
Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the fundraiser
committee and former Minister of Information, Prof.
Jerry Gana, who donated N5billion on behalf of
himself and his friends, warned that the 2015 general
elections would not be a walk over and urged the
party not to underestimate their opponents.
President Goodluck Jonathan in a brief remark thanked
the donors and pledged that the funds raised would be
judiciously utilised.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, in
his speech reiterated that “Power and glory come from
God” adding that “those who have won should involve
everybody in their campaigns in order to make them
family campaigns”.
Present at the event were Vice President Namadi
Sambo, Senate President David Mark, House of
Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, PDP
governors, Ministers and the Chairman, Board of
Trustees of the PDP, Chief Antony Anenih.
The huge donations, according to the Electoral Act,
contravenes the law. Section 221 of the 1999
Constitution prohibits a State Government from
contributing to the election expenses of any candidate
or aspirant.
The Electoral Act Section 91 (90 of the Code of
conduct for Political Parties and Elections limits
individual donations and contributions to a maximum
of N1m.
Also, the Electoral Act, Section 91, criminalizes
contravention of limitation on election expenses. A
presidential Candidate, who knowingly contravenes it,
is liable to a maximum fine of N1, 000,000.00 or
imprisonment for a period of 12 months or both.