The First Person to Donate ₦5M When PDP Was Formed in 1998 Was Tonye Graham-Douglas — Sara-Igbe

 

In an interview on Symfoni TV, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a former spokesperson of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reflected on the party’s formation and the internal disagreements that led to the exit of some of its pioneers.

 

Sara-Igbe expressed disappointment over what he described as constitutional breaches within the PDP, saying the founding principles that once united the party have been ignored. He noted that despite repeated protests from the founding members, the leadership failed to uphold the original spirit of the party.

He explained that these violations compelled some of the early stakeholders, including himself, to withdraw their active participation, while others like his boss, Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, decided to remain and continue supporting the PDP.

According to him, the party was established on a foundation of fairness, unity, and national development, but subsequent events betrayed those ideals.

“After we made a lot of protest, after we said this is not right, that they flouted the constitution of PDP, some of us who are founding fathers left,” Sara-Igbe said. “Everybody and my boss Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas have to stay back.”

He went on to recall an important moment in the party’s history, crediting Graham-Douglas for his financial support during the PDP’s early formation days.

“I want to make it clear when PDP came to life, the first person to donate ₦5 million in 1998 was Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas,” Sara-Igbe said.