The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of Sifax Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi has joined the league of big presidential campaign donours as he announced the donation of a princely N100million to the re-election campaign fund of President Goodluck Jonathan.
A philantropist and generous giver, Afolabi is also the honourary Consul-General of the Republic of Djibouti in Nigeria. He holds the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Capitalising on his incumbency advantage, Jonathan raised N21.27billion from businessmen, governors and multi-nationals to fund his second-term campaign.
The fund raising took place Saturday at a dinner at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Despite the hefty sum raised, some of the party chiefs expressed apprehensions about the 14 February election, saying it will be tough as Jonathan faces an old electoral foe, Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chairman of Skye Bank and chairman of the occasion, Tunde Ayeni, was the first to announce a donation of N2billion, for himself and his ‘friends’ while the chairman of the fundraising committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said his ‘friends and associates’ in the power sector were donating N5billion.
The PDP Governors Forum announced N1.05billion, with each governor donating N50million. There are 21 PDP governors in the country.
The other donations were:
Oil and Gas sector :N5billion;
Real Estate and Building: N4billion;
Transport and Aviation, N1billion;
Food and Agriculture, N500million;
Power, N500million;
Construction, N310million;
Road Construction, N250million;
National Automative Association, N450million;
Shelter Development Limited, N250m.
Rivers PDP Stakeholders: N50million
Niger Delta Development Commission: N15million.
Mr. Joseph Makanju, representative of the Chief Fund Raiser and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said his principal, who was outside the country, did not leave a mandate.
He, however, promised that as soon as Dangote returned to the country, he would personally see the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’Azu, to offer his support.
Jonathan said the funds would not be wasted or misused.
“I thank everyone who made donation tonight,” said Jonathan.
The President stated that the money was for the PDP, stressing that the amount generated would help to run the PDP better.
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