Labour Party Chairman Blames Opponents for Mismanaged Campaign Funds
In a unexpected turn of events, the embattled national chairman of the Labour Party in Nigeria, Julius Abure, has shifted the blame away from himself and towards allies of the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Abure claim that Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo were responsible for managing Obi’s campaign funds in the 2023 general elections.
Abure made these claims during a press conference in Abuja, amid rumors that he had mismanaged the party’s finances. According to Abure, the party never had access to the accounts where donations were deposited, citing Yesufu and Ighodalo as signatories to the accounts. He further stated that they were responsible for distributing donations and paying polling unit agents, claiming that the party was not involved in this process.
Abure insisted that the party was unconcerned with how these resources were distributed, implying that they had given away control to Obi’s supporters. He stated that it was “mischievous” to accuse him of mismanaging funds, as the party followed the instructions of those leading the campaign.
Additionally, Abure announced that the party’s presidential ticket is no longer reserved for Peter Obi, opening up the possibility for other individuals to run for the post in the 2027 elections. He also declined to grant an automatic second-term ticket to the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, stating that the seat would be made available to other aspirants.
Abure also used the opportunity to criticize Senator Nenadi Usman, who had convened a stakeholders’ meeting in collaboration with Governor Otti to establish a caretaker committee. Abure claimed that the Governor did not have the legal authority to convene this meeting, citing the Labour Party’s constitution as backing for his stance.
On a separate note, former presidential campaign volunteer Aisha Yesufu had notified Labour Party polling agents, via email, that the party would be reimbusing them directly into their personal bank accounts. This suggests that Yesufu herself was involved in managing poll agent payments.
In all, Abure’s explanation for the party’s managed funds has shifted attention back to the campaign and campaign finance practices. It raises questions about the accountability measures in place within the Labor Party and the level of transparency in their campaign decision-making process.
