A Peoples Democratic Party national delegate from Kaduna State Identified as Tanko Sabo, has been showered with praises after he donated over N12 million he got from the party’s presidential primary to the less-privileged in the Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna.
According to Tanko Rossi Sabo, he donated the money to his people because he felt they needed it more. As he made a promise to his constituents to give back to them whatever monetary benefits he got at the PDP primary if elected as a delegate.
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“I am happy to help my people from the fruit of what I gathered at the convention in Abuja.”
Mr Sabo was amongst nearly 800 delegates from all over the country certified to take part at the PDP special convention which took place at Hilton hotel Abuja.
Daily Report Nigeria reported earlier that Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s presidential candidate on May 29 after defeating his closest rivals Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“Immediately I got to Abuja some of the aspirants started calling me and some of them gave me N400,000 or N500,000 to go and lodge in any hotel of my choice,” Mr Sabo said.
“But I slept in my car instead of looking for a luxurious place to sleep.”
Mr Sabo said the aspirants were generous with their cash giveaways but added that he was able to return to his constituency with so much money because he was disciplined and austere with his spending during the convention.
“I prefer to eat noodles and pepper soup than to dine at the Hilton for more than N20,000 per plate,” Mr Sabo said, adding that his supporters have lauded his prudent nature.
On how the money was disbursed, Sabo said he paid N6.9 million as “WAEC and NECO examination fees for 150 orphans and the underprivileged”.
Also N3.2 million was spent on the purchase of 42 customised jerseys to promote sports among the youths in the area.
Sabo said PDP executives in the 11 wards in his local government got N1.3 million from his largesse while N350,000 went to the elderly.
He added that N100,000 was given as logistics to the five-man committee set up to go round the schools and pay the examination fees because “implementation is important”.
The PDP delegate has been trending on social media with many commending his action and describing him as a “delegate with a difference”.
On whether or not he might be called in for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for displaying cash received from delegates, an act considered not necessarily illegal but morally objectionable, Mr Sabo said he had no fears or apologies for living up to the promise he made to his constituents being elected as a national delegate.
“I am not afraid of the EFCC because I spent the money I collected on my people,” he said. “Will EFCC tell me I didn’t do well by paying school fees for orphans and hospital bills for elderly people who have no means of livelihood?”
