The Obi/ Datti 2023 Presidential Campaign team has dismissed
claims by the embattled factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP),
Julius Abure that only Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo superintended over the management of campaign
funds of the Peter Obi presidential campaign for the elections.
Abure had while responding to questions from journalists in
Abuja after a meeting of the National Executive Council on Monday, claimed that
allegations of embezzlement of campaign funds leveled against him by his
detractors were false.
He went on to claim that the two close allies of Mr. Obi
were the signatories to the campaign account and were responsible for
disbursements including the payment of party agents.
Abure also insisted that the party which he presided over as
national chairman wasn’t involved.
He said, “ The party and I have been accused of being
responsible for Peter Obi’s failure in the 2023 general election.
“They stated that the campaign, election donations and funds
for the payment of agents were mismanaged by the party hence Peter Obi failed
in the election.
“The election funding was done by Obi himself. As per the
donations, the party was not involved. The signatories to these accounts were
Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo. They were equally responsible for the
payment of Polling Unit Agents.
“Consequently, it is mischievous for any person to accuse me
and the party of mismanagement of these funds. At no time did the Party or its
officials engage in any financial transactions as it relates to the presidential
campaign.”
In response to his claims, Yesufu, who was also chairman of
the fundraising team for the Obi campaign
in a viral video posted on her official YouTube account on Tuesday,
called Abure “a liar.”
Yesufu who made her mark as an activist especially during
the bring back our girls campaign, challenged Abure to tell Nigerians what he did with the
proceeds of the ‘Labour Party N1,000 Challenge’ campaign donations he has been
raising since 2022.
She said, “That statement Abure made was a big fat lie. He
thinks it was like those days when they used to do their Labour unionism when
nobody had internet or keep records; those days they got away with everything.
When it comes to certain things, I am a very detailed and process-driven
person.
“There were times when the fundraising team was frustrated
with me because of my insistence on due process. Before Mr Obi came out with
his campaign account, the Labour Party had theirs. I have with me here a
‘Labour Party N1,000 Challenge’ post that was tweeted on 24/11/22. It said
‘Take ownership of the LP campaign by donating a minimum of N1,000 to Labour
Party Zenith Account 1225832294.
“When that account was opened by Abure, I was very angry. I
remember some people harmlessly saying it was no big deal since it was for the
same Labour Party campaign. But I insisted that it is not the same thing
because we don’t have access to any money that went into the LP account and
therefore can’t use it to facilitate the electioneering campaign.
“So for Julius Abure to come out in 2024 to blatantly lie
that they were not involved in any campaign, saying it was only Aisha Yesufu
and Pastor Itua (is unbelievable). By the way, there are three signatories, not
two as he said. Up till now, the LP has not accounted for the money the public
donated to them neither have they accounted for the money used to procure
forms.”
The allegation and counter-allegation come six months after
Yesufu announced that the fundraising team received donations totalling N596m
from party supporters, Obidient movements and well-meaning Nigerians across the
globe.
She added that Obi also spent N744,500,000 on litigation
following his loss in the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and a majority of
party stakeholders have since communicated to the Independent National
Electotal Commission (INEC), their decision to appoint an interim national
executive for the party.
Former Finance Minister, Senator Nanedi Usman was named
chairperson with a mandate to organize congresses from ward to state levels as
a national convention for a new leadership within 90 days.
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