PDP abandons N11.5bn secretariat project, 62 sacked workers unpaid

Cash crunch has hit the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), forcing it to abandon its N11.5bn secretariat project. Our correspondent reports that the financial situation has also forced the party to sack 62 workers at its national secretariat. A breakdown of the figure shows that four directors, two deputy directors, six assistant directors, […]

Cash crunch has hit the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), forcing it to abandon its N11.5bn secretariat project.

Our correspondent reports that the financial situation has also forced the party to sack 62 workers at its national secretariat.

A breakdown of the figure shows that four directors, two deputy directors, six assistant directors, 17 supervisors, 14 intermediate staff and 19 junior staff lost their jobs.

The party, due to cash crunch, also shortly after the 2015 general elections where it lost the presidency, abandoned its 12-storey national secretariat project located in the Central Business District, Abuja, estimated at N11.5 billion.

PDP awarded the contract to BNL Limited at the sum of N11.5bn and made part payment while in power. The project was supposed to be completed in 126 weeks.

Speaking on the project a few weeks ago in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus said, “It is entirely the business of the PDP to determine when we are ready to pack into our new secretariat. We have a secretariat; we have offices; and as you know, we have one at Wadata and another one at Legacy.

“That one is still under construction, so be patient till we pack out, but we have very good offices.”

A few days ago, the party downsized following its current financial crisis. A top party official who craved anonymity told our correspondent yesterday that the National Working Committee (NWC) was planning to set up a committee that would design a template on how the party would raise funds for the running of its activities and to sustain the payment of the remaining secretariat staff.

Some of the sacked staff also confided in our correspondent that the party was yet to pay them their entitlements.

One of them said, “Our sack was approved by NEC but we are yet to be paid. They told us that they are working on our payment after clearance, this week.

“Secondus kept on telling us that the party is broke; that PDP is no longer in power, so the party must reduce its staff strength,” he said.

PDP has a history of workers protesting non-payment of salaries since it lost power in 2015.