The Labour Party (LP) state chairmen have passed a vote of confidence on their National Chairman, Julius Abure who has been accused of misappropriating the party’s funds.

Oluchi Oparah, the national treasurer of the Labour Party had accused Abure of diverting N3.5 billion belonging to the party.

The LP Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi had also called for a forensic audit to investigate into the alleged financial impropriety leveled against the National Chairman.

But, reacting to this on Tuesday, the LP state chairmen and secretaries who paid a courtesy call on the party’s headquarters in Abuja, dismissed the allegations, saying that the Labour Party did not lose any money.

Briefing journalists at the event, Mr Ceekay Igara, Chairman Council of State Chairmen of the Labour Party, claimed that Abure’s leadership had displayed a high level of transparency in the management of the party finances.

Igara said the decision to involve an independent auditor was a welcome one, while expressing believe that the outcome would finally exonerate Abure and also expose the lies allegedly being peddled by the suspended Treasurer

He also debunked claims that the party was planning to suspend Mr Obi, noting that the Labour Party was under attack by people who have been sponsored to destroy it.

The Abia state chairman said: “We are here to pay a solidarity visit to the entire members of the National Working Committee of our great party and particularly to our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure. We are here to reinforce our confidence in Barrister Abure’s leadership of the Labour Party and his ability to provide good and transparent leadership.

“We are here also to use the opportunity to respond to some of the spurious and unfounded allegations that are being made generally on the leadership of the party, especially the one that has to do with mismanagement of funds of the party and lack of transparency in the management of the affairs of the party.

“We are a critical part of the leadership of the Labour Party being members of the National Executive Committee. This present NWC is our baby and we have entrusted our collective trust on it having carefully selected it based on the members’ pedigree, integrity and administrative capacity to lead the rest of us.

“This leadership has displayed a high level of transparency in the management of the party finances. The audit report as prepared by the external auditor is very clear about the finances of the party. Let me emphatically state here that our money is not missing. We didn’t generate N3.5b as claimed by the now suspended National Treasurer.

“We can confirm that the party only realized N1.3 million during the 2023 general election and another Seven Hundred Million naira donation, which was used by the Presidential Campaign Council. All these monies were lodged in the banks and were promptly receipted. The audit is also clear about the money generated during the off season elections and how it was managed,” he said.

Igara further Oparah’s allegation that the National Chairman didn’t allow her to perform her duties was also a huge lie.

He said all in all their financial dealings with the national headquarters, she had always been the officer that has attended to them.

“From the records, virtually all the cheques were signed by her and the National Chairman. It is obvious she may have been influenced to lie against the National Chairman.

“You may be wondering why our National Leader and Presidential Candidate in the last general election, Peter Obi seems to be silent on this matter. The truth is that our leader has mediated privately on this matter, he is also aware that the sustained attacks against Barrister Abure are sponsored and are politically motivated.

“Again, our leader knows the role the National Chairman played during the process of his joining the party, after he joined the party and even during the campaign; he is aware of the immense sacrifices made by the leadership of the party for the project to become a reality. He is also aware that all the allegations are unfounded and spurious. That is why he chose to remain silent because he knows the truth. He also knows that the national chairman is honest and dedicated and he is also passionate about the growth and development of the party.

“It is very clear that the sponsored crisis is the handwork of our political opponents that are afraid of the future of the party. They are probably nursing fears and are looking for every opportunity to derail the party and to ensure that it is unable to realize its set goals. The Labour Party is a dynamite and the fear of the party is the beginning of wisdom for our opponents.

“We also want to use this opportunity to debunk the allegation that the Labour Party is planning to suspend our National Leader, Peter Obi. Like we said earlier, our party is under the worst siege ever, including unleashing fierce propaganda against the party. The party has not at any time contemplated a suspension of our leader. He remains our leader and will continue to lead the party in our avowed determination to pull this nation out from the strangulation under this present government.” Igara stated. (Daily Sun)

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