The former national chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has responded to recent allegations regarding the mismanagement of campaign funds during the 2023 general elections. Abure has denied any involvement in the handling or distribution of these funds, placing the responsibility on other key figures within the party.
In an extended meeting held in Umuahia, Abia State, the Labour Party’s stakeholders appointed Senator Nenadi Usman, a former minister of finance, to lead a 29-member Caretaker Committee. This committee was tasked with resolving the party’s ongoing leadership crisis and organizing a convention to elect new leaders from the local to the national level.
Abure, who has been at the center of the controversy, spoke out in a video addressing the allegations. He described the accusations against him as “mischievous” and insisted that the party itself had no direct involvement in managing the campaign funds.
“The party was never involved in the distribution of those resources,” Abure stated. “Our focus was solely on producing a president for the party. How the funds were managed was not our concern. We allowed those trusted by the campaign to handle the funds as they saw fit.”
He further clarified that the Labour Party did not handle or oversee any campaign donations. According to Abure, donations were channeled directly to specific campaign accounts and were managed by trusted individuals.
The campaign funds were directed to several bank accounts. The accounts included:
– Zenith Bank: 124 195 0451
– Sterling Bank: 0091 657 896
– Heritage Bank: 14 0023 4900
– Globus Bank: 1000128 194
He said Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo were the signatories to these accounts. They were responsible for handling the funds and managing payments, including those for polling unit agents.
Abure emphasized that the party did not engage in the financial transactions related to the election. “We did not involve ourselves in collecting or managing donations,” he said. “We handed over the lists of polling unit agents to the Campaign Council, which was responsible for their payment.”
Abure’s comments come in the wake of allegations that he and the Labour Party mismanaged funds during the election campaign. These claims have caused significant controversy and have been a focal point in discussions about the party’s internal issues.
The Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, is expected to address these challenges and work towards stabilizing the party’s leadership. The committee’s formation highlights the need for a resolution to the ongoing leadership disputes within the Labour Party.
