₦3.5bn tears Peter Obi-backed Labour Party faction apart
The faction of the Labour Party backed by former presidential candidate Peter Obi is embroiled in a crisis over the the management of ₦3.5billion of party funds.
Oluchi Opara, the party’s national treasure, addressed a press conference on Monday wherein she accused the factional chairman Julius Abure of failure to account for the money.
“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,” Opara said at the briefing.
“His (Abure) appetite for power has grown unchecked, and he has deliberately undermined my duties and authority as stipulated in the party’s constitution,” she added.
Denying the allegation, Obiorah Ifoh, the national publicity secretary, said that all the members of the party executives, except Opara, have found nothing wrong with Abure’s stewardship.
“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 doesn’t even understand simple accounting, even as a treasurer. The party engages an External Auditor, and our account is under constant scrutiny by INEC or other regulatory bodies,” Ifoh added.
