The National Chairman of the peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has denied collecting N1 billion bribe from Presidential aspirant as claimed by the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike.

Ayu, who was responding to questions about the allegations against him and also promised that the statement of the party account will be made available to party members soon.

He said, “I want to make it clear that at no time did I, as the National Chairman of the party, collect any N1bn from anybody. When we came in and the party was having funding difficulties, the presidential candidate suggested that we should take a loan from the bank and the owner of that bank is a member of the party, he has even left the party.

“The party never took any loan from anybody. Any money advanced to the party was declared before the NWC and handed over to the National Treasurer. All our accounts are up to date and we promised to publish the accounts at the end of the year.

On the 100 million Wike mentioned today,  Ayu said, “I fully briefed the BoT that one of our governors made a contribution of 100 million for the revival of the PDI which was housed in a portacabin and I explained to them that we hired an appropriate place in Asokoro, we have furnished it, renovated it.

Speaking further said, “three days later we went there, inspected it and the NWC decided that before commissioning we should invite the governor in question to come and inspect what we have done with his contribution.

“I am happy that the National Secretary of the party has since written a letter to that governor. I or the NWC never took any money to carry out that renovation in fact, we have not even exhausted that N100 million given by one of the governors.

“I appeal to aggrieved people to desist from trying to malign my character or bringing my family into party affairs,” he said.