BY Ayodele Oluwafemi
Oluchi Oparah, the national treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), has accused Julius Abure, chairman of the party, of allegedly misappropriating N3.5 billion.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Oparah said the N3.5 billion was raised from sales of forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 elections.
The national treasurer said she was compelled to raise alarm because the “internal mechanisms” in the party has “failed woefully” to hold Abure accountable of “brazen abuse of office and misappropriation of party funds”.
“With great reluctance and deep concern, I am compelled to publicly address the media regarding the egregious financial mismanagement and corruption that have plagued our beloved party under the leadership of Mr Julius Abure, the current national chairman,” Oparah said.
“His appetite for power has grown unchecked, and he has deliberately undermined my duties and authority as stipulated in the party’s constitution.”
LP KICKS
Reacting to the allegations, Obiora Ifoh, LP spokesperson, said the national treasurer is “under some external influences” and only read a press statement written by “our detractors to further tar the image of the party”.
Ifoh said no other member of the party’s national working committee has raised any allegation of embezzlement against Abure.
He added that the party did not earn N3.5 billion from the sales of nomination forms.
“Let it be said that the Labour Party has not earned N3.5 billion as claimed and that the national chairman has not embezzled any money that belongs to the party as alleged,” Ifoh said.
“The records are there, except that Ms Oluchi Opara don’t even understand simple accounting even as a treasurer.
“An external auditor is engaged by the party and our account is under constant scrutiny of INEC or other regulatory bodies.
“Abure does not own several houses and property as spuriously alleged by our estranged national treasurer, even though no law prohibits him from owning properties.
“In the past, the party didn’t have accounting books or method as it was ran by the then chairman and Ms Oluchi, the treasurer.
“They were only accountable to themselves, but with the emergence of the Abure-led executive, and the growth of the party, it became imperative for the party to structure its accounting method and policy.
“This, of course, didn’t go down well with the national treasurer whose financial source was shut down.
“The party can understanding her vituperations but we can’t help her situation moreso when her time in the NWC is running out.
“Her wish to cash out was not granted and her subtile effort to push the leadership to ‘settle’ her was rejected hence her resolve to fight dirty.”
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