Nigerian billionaires to raise money for Jonathan’s campaign

President Goodluck Jonathan during his presidential campaign launch. Photo: NAN

Twelve top Nigerian businessmen, including billionaires Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola and Mike Adenuga, were selected yesterday in Abuja by the People’s Democratic Party to join a committee that will raise funds to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign. Others in the Donor Committee are Tony Elumelu, former chairman of the United Bank for Africa; Jimoh Ibrahim, chairman of NICON Insurance; Emeka Offor, Kashim Bukar, Sayyu Dantata, Jim Ovia, Dahiru Manga, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Kola Salako.

The ruling party also named a nine-member finance and fundraising committee headed by former chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Oba Otudeko. The members of the committee are Atedo Peterside, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Funsho Lawal, Bola Shagaya, Tukur Mani, Tony Onoh, Funsho Awoyemi and the party’s director of finance.

A list, which was obtained at the party secretariat in Abuja, also has former president, Olusegun Obasanjo and former chairman of the board of trustees of the PDP, Tony Anenih, and former director-general of the Jonathan-Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dalhatu Tafida, appointed into the 28-member Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) that will coordinate the presidential campaign. Others members of the 28-member include Mr Jonathan; his deputy, Namadi Sambo; Senate President, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; former national chairman of the PDP, Ahmadu Ali; acting national chairman of the party, Bello Mohammed; deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweramadu; minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Orubebe; and Senator Grace Bent.

However, Mr. Jonathan will head the nine-member monitoring and strategy committee, which has Messrs Sambo, Mohammed and Mark as members. Other members of the committee are former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, former foreign affairs minister, Ojo Maduekwe, Anenih, Suleman Shuiabu Oyedokun and Abubakar Baraje, PDP national secretary.

The list revealed that members of the Atiku Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida campaign organisations were also appointed into the presidential campaign organisation. Senator Ben Obi, DG of the Atiku Campaign Organisation is a member of the resource committee while Raymond Dokpesi of the Ibrahim Babangida Campaign Organisation will serve in both the resource and publicity committees. Also, Ken Nanamai, a former Senate president and a strong supporter of Mr. Abubakar was named as a member of the resource and reconciliation committees. Sarah Jubril, who ran against Mr. Jonathan in the primaries, was appointed into the resource persons committee. It was gathered that the committee members will be inaugurated at the party’s Presidential Campaign Office in Maitama District of Abuja later this week.

According to our source, they were billed to be inaugurated last Saturday evening but the event was put off out of respect to the Nigerians who died during Mr. Jonathan’s campaign rally in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.