PDP hires Trump lobbyist, pay N31.5m per month

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has acquired the services of top United States firm and lobbyist, Brian Ballard, to work for the success of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for the forthcoming election in 2019.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of PDP will be contesting in the 2019 general election with incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari under the All Progressive Congress (APC), his major  opponent.

Ballard is a top lobbyist and one the major influential lobbyist to the current U.S President, Donald Trump, during his election campaign in US.

Ballard has a contract with PDP on a monthly payment of $90 thousand (N31.5m) which will last for one year and will cumulatively fetch the firm N400 million at the end of the year.

The contract signed on September 21, 2018 had the signature of Osita Chidoka. The former aviation minister signed on behalf of  PDP as a presidential advisor. 

Part of the contract as seen by The Cable reads: “This contract is entered into between the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria (“the Client”), Plot 1970 Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, and Ballard Partners, Inc. (“the F irm”), 601 13th Street NW, Suite 450N, Washington, D. C. 20005.”

“This agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods on the anniversary of the effective date of the agreement unless either party terminates the agreement. Upon renewal this agreement may be terminated within thirty (30) days written notice by either party.”

Recall that the APC engaged the services of AKPD Media and Messages, a top US firm that worked for former U.S President, Barrack Obama, as political strategists in 2014.