Labour Party crisis: Abure threatens to expose Obi, Otti over mismanagement of campaign funds

Julius Abure, the factional national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), has publicly challenged Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti to name any party member who received funds meant for the last general elections.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday at the LP national secretariat in Utako, Abuja, Abure accused elected LP officials of plotting to unseat the national leadership despite the sacrifices that brought them into power.

“We rejected billions of naira, we rejected offers because of their positions, but today, they are at the forefront of those who want to throw us out of office,” Abure said.

He said that the party did not receive any money from Otti for his governorship ticket, insisting that the leadership made no financial demands in return for support.

The chairman challenged both Obi and Otti to publicly declare what they gave to the party, and whom they gave it to.

“It is not to go and hide and be saying there is corruption in the party. Who and who are those that brought the money? Who did they give it to? Where did they send it to? I challenge them today… and if they can’t say it, let them forever hold their peace.”

In an ominous warning, Abure said: “I am waiting for them, from top to bottom, to make any other move, and I will open my mouth. And when I open my mouth, wherever they go, they will be like smelly eggs, rotten eggs that nobody will ever buy.”

Aisha Yesufu, Obi’s Campaign Team Fire Back

Abure’s outburst has drawn swift and sharp responses.

Aisha Yesufu, a co-chair of Obi’s presidential campaign council, denied the LP had any role in managing funds for the presidential election.

According to her, donations were handled strictly by the campaign organisation and not the party, as she revealed that only she and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo were signatories to the campaign accounts, distancing the party’s leadership from any financial oversight.

“The party failed to provide a verified list of agents, and we kept getting fictitious names, so we had to stop disbursements. Besides, they are angry because we didn’t give them the money.”

She further accused Abure of running his own fundraising scheme under the “LP ₦1,000 Challenge” banner and challenged him to publish an account of those funds.

Legal Drama and Deepening Factional Crisis

The Labour Party has been trapped in a prolonged leadership struggle, with Abure on one side and a caretaker committee on the other, led by former finance minister Nenadi Usman and backed by Obi, Otti, and Senator Ireti Kingibe.

Following a contentious stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia in April, the Usman-led committee emerged, claiming to steer the party towards a credible national convention, but Abure rejected the legitimacy of the new leadership, citing a separate convention in Nnewi where he was re-elected.

A court ruling in April further complicated the crisis.

The Court of Appeal struck out a Federal High Court judgement that had previously recognised Abure’s leadership, stating the court lacked jurisdiction. Despite this, both factions continue to interpret the judgement in their favour.

On May 7, Abure’s faction suspended Otti and Kingibe over alleged anti-party activities.

In response, the caretaker committee suspended Abure and constituted a probe panel, chaired by Kingibe, to investigate allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation.

Otti also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Abure for impersonation.

What’s Next for the Labour Party?

As the Labour Party battles growing internal divisions, observers warn that the prolonged leadership crisis and public allegations could undermine the party’s credibility and erode voter trust.

Political analysts say that the party’s inability to resolve its internal crisis may weaken its performance in upcoming elections and fracture the coalition that propelled it to national prominence during the 2023 election cycle.