On Tuesday, supporters from the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory stormed the national secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja to show solidarity with the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure.
The supporters, who were received by Abure and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, marched to the LP secretariat against the backdrop of the N3.5 billion fraud case that has embroiled the party’s leadership.
Recall that the suspended Labour Party National Treasurer, Olzuchi Oparah, had in February accused Abure of misappropriating the sum of N 3.5bn said to have been raised from the sale of nomination forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 general election.
Oparah in a suit dated February 15 filed by her lawyer, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), asked the court to compel the EFCC to investigate the national chairman.
She said that during the period under review, “large sums of money were raised from the sale of nomination forms for the several elections held in 2023, apart from proceeds from Edo State (in 2024) which the 2nd Defendant (Abure) actually diverted to his personal accounts, the 2nd Defendant declared only N55 million out of about N3 billion raised, failing to account for the balance.
“This undeclared balance from the sale of nomination forms as well as all donations received from followers and sympathizers of H.E. Peter Obi, remains unaccounted till date and all requests for accountability have been rebuffed by the 2nd Defendant,” she told the court.
