TheCable

Michael Ashade, chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Ogun state, has accused Doyin Okupe, the party’s presidential campaign director, of mishandling a N20 million mobilisation.

Ashade said the fee was allotted to the state chapter by the campaign council.

While appearing on ARISE TV on Saturday, Ashade said Okupe only gave N4 million out of the approved N20 million to mobilise state’s party members to the presidential rally in Oyo state last month.

He said the mishandling of the mobilisation fund was one of the reasons why the state chapter suspended Okupe from the party.

TheCable had reported how the Ogun state chapter of the LP revoked the membership of Okupe and 10 party members due to their non-payment of dues.

But Umar Farouk, national secretary of the party, said Okupe’s suspension is null and void.

He said the Ogun chapter of the party did not follow disciplinary procedures before making such a decision.

Speaking further on the development, Ashade said apart from the membership due rouse, Okupe has questions to answer over the Oyo rally mobilisation fund.

“Our grouse is not just the fact that he has been found wanting on his financial obligation as a member, we also highlighted certain deeds that occurred during the rally at Ibadan in which members in Ogun State were expected to be mobilised for that rally. And certain financial anomalies occurred which we highlighted there. And we have discovered that certain amounts of money were approved for the states by the campaign council and we are asking where are the funds,” Ashade said. 

“It’s unfortunate maybe he didn’t know it will get to this, because I have a chat he sent me saying that he was personally paying the mobilization of members from Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun states for the Oyo state rally saying that there is no official amount approved. But, 20 million Naira was approved specifically for Ogun state to mobilise members. 

“We estimated 200 buses for the members, and it was turned down. It was reduced to 100 buses and forwarded to him, but he still rejected it saying no, that there are no funds that he was personally funding it. He came up with an estimate of N5,195,000, saying that was what he could personally afford. But it was less than that. About four million was what was gathered.

“It’s so appalling that the budget we did, every member that goes there, a certain amount should be given to them, at least N5,000 as a token. He said no, N1,000 will be given. I said that is ridiculous. I, as a chairman of the party can not be in that position and be giving N1,000 to every member who left their home to Ibadan, and he said it’s for feeding.”