The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, on Friday, broke his silence on the return of N122million bribes dubbed as housing allowance removed from the party’s coffers and paid to some National Working Committee (NWC) members.

Ayu claimed that the NWC unanimously agreed on the allowance adding that reports that the money was a bribe or an illegal payment as alleged by some persons were false.

He said, “The NWC met and discussed the issue of Housing Allowance. It was unanimously agreed that no bribe or any form of illegality took place. A statement has since been issued to that effect. The matter has now been laid to rest.

“The PDP was not founded to be in opposition. We founded the party to access power and develop the country and my historic task is to return the party to power. I won’t be chairman forever. For now, my preoccupation is to return the party to power. I did not come to steal. My public service record is there.

“I have been a leader of the National Assembly. I have been a minister many times. As a person, I have many faults, but stealing is not one of them. I am conscious of my place in history, and the NWC that I lead is guided by the twin principles of transparency and accountability.”