2023: Asake Explains Wike’s N200m Donation

• Says funds expended on IDPs
• SOKAPU got N120m, JNI received N80m

Amid controversies surrounding the Rivers State Governor, Nyeson Wike’s N200 million donation to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in the Kaduna State, the Labour Party’s Gubernatorial candidate for Kaduna State, Jonathan Asake has debunked allegations of misappropriation and mismanagement of the said funds.

Addressing issues around the funds’ disbursement and utilisation, Asake, who was then the National President of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), admitted that Governor Nyeson Wike actually donated N200 million but the truth has not been told about the funds were distributed to the beneficiaries.

The LP gubernatorial flag bearer, who featured in a political parley at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council Secretariat on Friday, explained thus; “Out of the money, the SOKAPU got N120m, while the sum of N80m was credited to the account of Jamaatul Nasarul Islam (JNI) Kaduna State chapter.”

According to him; “The money was given to the religious body because, in the Northern part of the state, they do not have a recognized association like ours.”

Asake blamed the rumours going around about the donation on political enemies and jobbers who are working for other political parties in the State, claiming; “Once they heard I am joining politics, some of them started flying all sorts of things to malign me, that I spent all the money, but it is normal in politics.

“Painfully, these people are also going around spreading the rumours that I am working for the All Progressives Congress (APC). That allegation really pains me given that all I’m focused on is offering to serve the people of Kaduna State selflessly and dedicatedly.”

Further dismissing the allegation, the former SOKAPU President explained that after the Union took custody of the donated funds, assorted grains and other items were purchased and equitably distributed to the IDPs, adding; “We distributed to people irrespective of their religions and tribes.”

Giving additional insight on the accusation, the LP candidate said; “Everybody who knows me can testify that I will not indulge in such acts. So, I just laughed over it. When I decided to join politics, l left over N60m in the coffers of SOKAPU”.

It would be recalled that Governor Wike, as one of the presidential aspirants, had donated the sum of N200m to the IDPs in the state through the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when he was in the state to canvass support ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

Expectedly, the donation and how it was utilised has continued to generate controversies since Asake joined the political fray by picking the governorship ticket of the Labour Party in the State for the 2023 general elections.