The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Rivers State has described as “hollow and childish”, explanations by a former Rivers State Commissioner for information and communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, on how the state spent N82 million for a dinner honouring Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka.
Semenitari, currently the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), had said on Monday that the money covered specific items of the event.
The money was spent on “dance drama by University of Port Harcourt Arts Village; Great Singha & His Highlife Band; set design, stage lighting & costume design; costume design and stage property; dinner; transportation and Accommodation of guests from outside the country and those outside Rivers State; decoration; travels and logistics, etc,” a statement by Semenitari’s Press Secretary, Beke Anyalewechi, said.
In a statement on behalf of the Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, his Press Secretary, Jerry Needam described Sementari’s explanation as “hollow, petty and childish”.
The PDP said Soyinka had allowed his name for a shady event that cost the public huge.
“While we agree that the Nobel Laureate deserves any form of honour in any part of the world, we find it a terrible disservice to Professor Soyinka to use his name to steal public funds,” the statement said.
“She said the N82 million was not used only for the party but that the expenses covered costume design, set design, drama, highlife band, dinner, transportation, decoration and logistics.
“These items should naturally be expected to form an important part of the birthday celebration. If they were left out, what else would make the party a befitting one for a man of the stature of Professor Soyinka?”, the PDP asked.
The party also demanded an explanation for the cost of the enumerated expenses, saying, the funds expended were tax payers money, and should be accounted for.