The N95 million paid by the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to get approval to use public places, especially school premises, for campaigns is for its governorship, national and state House of Assembly rallies.

The Nation reports that the state PDP led by Governor Nyesom Wike reportedly paid the money to cover all campaigns for its state’s candidates in line with the provisions of the government’s Order 21.

The report claims that the N95 million only covered all public facilities the Wike-led PDP had booked to campaign for its state’s candidates excluding the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.

The Order requires that any party intending to use public schools for campaign must apply to the Commissioner for Education and pay a non-refundable fee of N5m, which will be used to clean, maintain and repair the schools after the campaigns.

It was learnt that Atiku’s men intending to campaign for their candidate in public schools under the auspices of the PDP presidential campaign council as well as other political parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) were expected to meet the requirements of Order 21.

The Spokesperson of the state PDP Campaign Council, Ogbonna Nwuke, confirmed that the money was paid by the state PDP to demonstrate its belief in and obedience to the laws of the state.

Nwuke advised other parties to toe a similar path arguing that if the party controlled by the governor could pay the money, others had no excuses to flout the order.

He said no party desiring to use a public facility for rallies including those campaigning for Atiku under the auspices of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council was above the law of the state and must comply with the order.

He dismissed the reports that Atiku’s campaigners paid the N95m as preposterous and a twisted narrative sponsored by the enemies of the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Prince Chinedum Mbom, had through a letter addressed to the Rivers PDP acknowledged the receipt of N95 million from the party leadership.

Mbom in the letter, said: “I hereby acknowledge receipt of your deposit of N95m only into the state government account, being the required precautionary deposit for the use of your indicated public schools’ facilities in Rivers State.

“Sequel to your compliance with the directive as contained in our letter dated 6th December 2022, I hereby convey to you, my approval of your request for the use of State-owned schools’ facilities as indicated in the annexure to your application.”