Kelvin Bowoto
A new crisis has emerged in the Nigerian Labour Party (LP) National Working Committee (NWC) over the alleged misuse of N3 billion raised for the 2023 campaign. Last Monday, Barr Julius Abure, the LP’s national leader, who had previously denied a forgery charge against him, said that some members of the party were being sponsored to destabilize it.
Mrs. Oluchi Oparah, LP national treasurer, accused Abure yesterday of misappropriating more than N3 billion of the N3.5 billion raised for the 2023 elections. Mrs. Oparah told a press conference in Abuja that under Mr. Abure’s leadership, the sale of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections earned more than N3.5 billion. “However, apart from the proceeds of the sale of forms from his home state of Edo, which were diverted to Mr. Abure’s private accounts, he only declared N55 million to me as treasurer of the over N3.5 billion raised, pocketing the rest for himself,” she added.
According to her, during off-cycle elections in many states last year, the party received approximately N958 million through nomination forms and donations. “These funds have completely vanished under Abure’s supervision, with no paper trail. During a fundraising tour in the United States in August 2023, Mr. Abure and his associates raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from the party’s diaspora community. To date, he has not declared a single dollar to me or the NWC, thus stealing donations intended for the party’s development. Indeed, not a single cent of the funds collected was ever deposited into any of the party’s accounts,” she claimed. According to her, since taking office in 2021, Abure has engaged in a series of behaviors that not only violate the Labour Party’s founding ideals but also constitute major breaches of trust and fiduciary responsibility.
Oparah continued her charges, saying, “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.” Despite my position as National Treasurer and custodian of all party finances and bank and accounting records, I have been deliberately barred from carrying out my duties, including accessing critical information and bank statements required for adequate financial monitoring. This willful delay not only impedes my ability to do my duties but also raises serious concerns about the chairman’s transparency and accountability.”
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She asked Abure to do the right thing and participate in a transparent process that will restore confidence, trust, and integrity to the party’s financial affairs.
In response to the charges, the Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that Opara’s allegations were malicious.
Obiora claimed that the national treasurer, who is undoubtedly influenced by outside forces, just read out a fabricated statement produced by the party’s enemies to further tarnish its image.
“With the exception of the national treasurer, whose tenure is about to end in a few weeks’ time and who has served for eight years as national treasurer without a single record of party accounts, no other member of the national working committee has raised any issue of embezzlement against our national chairman, who made a pledge on the assumption that the party has to be revamped,” he said.
He indicated that the Labour Party did not gain N3.5 billion as claimed and that the national chairman did not misuse any party funds as alleged.
“The documents exist, but Ms. Oluchi Opara, despite her position as treasurer, does not comprehend basic accounting. The party has recruited an external auditor, and our account is constantly monitored by INEC or other regulatory organizations.”
According to Ifoh, the national chairman serves as the party’s main accounting officer and signatory to the account.
“The role of the national treasurer is likewise clearly defined. Previously, the party did not have accounting books or techniques because it was administered solely by the then-chairman and treasurer, Ms. Oluchi. They were simply answerable to themselves, but with the formation of the Abure-led executive and the party’s expansion, it became necessary for the party to establish its accounting process and policy. This, of course, did not sit well with the national treasurer, whose revenue source had been shut down.
“The party understands her vituperations, but we cannot improve her predicament, especially since her time in the NWC is running short. Her wish to pay out was denied, and her desperate effort to persuade the leadership to’settle’ her was rebuffed, resulting in her determination to fight dirty,” he stated.
Techrectory with Agency Report.
