The Labour Party is facing a fresh crisis as its National Treasurer, Mrs. Oluchi Oparah, has accused the National Chairman, Julius Abure, of mismanaging party funds exceeding N3.5 billion.
The funds in question allegedly originate from the proceeds of selling nomination forms and engaging in other fundraising activities for the 2023 general elections.
At a press conference held on Monday in Abuja, Oparah alleged that Abure has been stopping her attempts to fulfil her constitutional duty of overseeing the party’s finances. She further claimed that the chairman has refused to open the party’s books for scrutiny since the closure of nomination form sales before the 2023 elections.
Oparah said, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the press. I stand before you today with a heavy heart and a sense of duty to the principles of transparency, accountability, and justice. 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.
“As National Treasurer, I am constrained to come before you and the public today because the internal mechanisms of our party have failed woefully to bring Mr Abure to account for his brazen abuse of office and misappropriation of party funds.
“His appetite for power has grown unchecked, and he has deliberately undermined my duties and authority as stipulated in the party’s constitution.”
