Abure on campaign funds: If I open my mouth, Obi and Otti will be like smelly eggs

Julius Abure, factional national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has challenged Peter Obi and Alex Otti to name party members who received funds for the 2023 election.

Abure spoke on Monday, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Utako, Abuja.

The meeting was convened by Joshua Chinedu Obika, member representing AMAC/Bwari federal constituency of Abuja.

Abure said some elected LP officials are scheming to remove the national leadership from office despite sacrifices rendered.

He said the party’s leadership rejected monetary offers for elective positions.

Abure added that the leadership did not collect a dime from Otti for the party’s governorship ticket.

“We rejected billions of naira. We rejected offers because of their positions. Today, they are in the forefront of those who want to throw us out of office,” he said.

“I want to challenge all of them. I was watching television and I saw some of them talking about corruption.

“Today, I want to challenge all of them, from Peter Obi downward, that contested the election. Let any of them come out and tell the world what they personally gave to me or to the party.

“It is not to go and hide and be saying there is corruption in the party. Who and who are those that brought the money? Who did they give it to?

“Where did they send it to? I challenge them today that any of them that has evidence, even if they don’t have evidence, let them be bold and come out and say when and how they gave the money and if they can’t do that, let them forever hold their peace.

“I’m going to call a world press conference and publicly challenge them. As a leader, we have been quiet to say probably they are making mistakes, one day, probably they will come back.

“When people were talking about agents, and money for agents, I kept quiet, I didn’t say anything because I believe that the bad, the good and the ugly are for me. And therefore, I should not throw away the bad child or the ugly child.

“When I saw that some people were going beyond their boundaries, I came out and released a periphery of what played out. And I am sure that by now, that house is no longer together as it is.

“I am waiting for them — from top to bottom — to make any other move and I will open my mouth. And when I open my mouth, wherever they go to, they will be like smelly eggs, rotten eggs that nobody will ever buy.”

BACKGROUND

The LP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with Abure and his allies on one hand, and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman on the other.

The Usman committee is backed by Obi, Otti, and Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT).

In April, the supreme court ruled that the court of appeal lacked the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure chairman of the LP.

Since the verdict, there have been various interpretations of the apex court’s pronouncement, with all factions claiming victory.

On May 7, the Abure-led faction suspended Otti and Kingibe indefinitely over alleged anti-party activities.

On the same day, the caretaker committee constituted a panel chaired by Kingibe to probe Abure over allegations of corruption, misappropriation of party funds and anti-party activities.

Days later, the caretaker committee suspended Abure as the national chairman of the party.

Otti had also asked Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, to arrest Abure for alleged impersonation..