General News of 2012-09-12

President GoodLuck to raise $100M for Prez Mahama's election

There is an ongoing move by Nigeria's President, GoodLuck Jonathan, some Governors, Senators and some prominent businessmen to raise a substantial amount of money towards the actualization of the ambition of the incumbent Ghanaian President, John Mahama to win the coming December 7, 2012 presidential election, a report has revealed.
Lagos based Daily Champion Newspaper last Friday reported that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) might have got a big boost towards this move when President Mahama paid a special visit to Abuja, Nigeria last Thursday night.
The report had it that President Jonathan, some Governors, Senators and three prominent Nigerian Commercial Banks are currently shopping for $100 million (about N16 billion) to fund Mahama's election.
According to reportS, some top NDC officials including some MPs flew into Abuja a day before Mahama's visit to Nigeria to prepare grounds for his negotiation with the Nigerians.
Daily Champion said it gathered that the NDC officials were said to have held a secret discussion last Wednesday night with the management of the three commercial banks.
It however did not disclose the names of the banks and neither did it say whether they are banks who are already operating in Ghana.
Also, the report say President Mahama's visit to Abuja last Thursday was to perfect the terms of agreement on the move.
The newspaper further reported that details of individual contributions for the said money could not be confirmed as at press time but its source said the bulk of the funds may be source by the Nigerian presidency.
The report said also that some NDC MPs who are in the know of the arrangement and are seeking re-election may also benefit from the targeted fund.
Daily Champion also said reliable sources in Aso Rock said that part of the procedure for the deal would be for the three commercial banks to open branches in Ghana so that at the end of the day, the financial support would be 'reconciled' without anyone raising eyebrow in the financial sector.
President Mahama faces a stiff contest from top opposition candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7 general elections in Ghana.