Alleged embezzlement of N3 billion meant for the 2023 campaign has sparked a new crisis inside the Nigerian Labour Party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Barr Julius Abure, national chairman of the LP, said last week that the party was being sponsored to destabilize it, after earlier denying a forgery accusation.
Of the 3.5 billion Naira collected for the 2023 campaigns, LP national treasurer Mrs. Oluchi Oparah recently claimed that Abure had stolen more than 3 billion.
The sale of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections collected more than N3.5 billion, according to Mrs. Oparah, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja while Mr. Abure was in charge.
“However, the remaining N3.5 billion that was collected was kept by Mr. Abure for himself, and only N55 million was declared to me as treasurer. This is in addition to the funds that were diverted from the sale of forms from his home state of Edo,” Oluchi stated.
She claims that the party received approximately N958 million in nomination forms and contributions during last year’s off-cycle elections in multiple states.
Under Abure’s watchful eye, these monies have gone missing, leaving no trace whatsoever. Mr. Abure and his associates collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from members of the party’s diaspora population during their fundraising tour in the US in August 2023.
He has virtually stolen funds intended for the party’s development and has failed to declare even one dime to either me or the NWC. She went on to say that the party’s accounts had never seen a dime of the donated funds.
She claims that after taking office in 2021, Abure has done several things that violate trust and fiduciary duty and undermine the ideas that the Labour Party was formed upon.
“One of the most alarming aspects of Mr. Abure’s conduct is his repeated denial of my access to the party’s financial records and bank accounts,” Oparah said, her accusations yet unfinished. I have been consistently barred from carrying out my responsibilities as National Treasurer and guardian of all party monies, bank records, and accounting information, including access to vital documents and bank statements required for accurate financial supervision. This willful impediment not only makes it harder for me to do my job, but it also calls into question the chairman’s honesty and responsibility.
She begged Abure to do the right thing and participate in an open process that would fix the party’s financial mess and make everyone trust again.
Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party’s national press secretary, responded to the accusations by calling Opara’s claims mischievous.