The Labour Party (LP) is grappling with a fresh crisis sparked by Mrs. Oluchi Oparah, the national treasurer, who demanded accountability from Julius Abure, the national chairman, regarding the party’s finances.
The finances amount to over N3.5 billion, derived from form sales and other fundraising activities for the 2023 general elections.
Oparah made these assertions during a news briefing in Abuja on Monday, February 12.
The treasurer contends that she is unable to fulfill her legally mandated duty of managing the party’s finances due to the actions of the national chairman.
She highlighted that since the conclusion of form sales before the 2023 general elections, the chairman has avoided taking comprehensive steps to facilitate an audit of the party’s financial records.
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.”