A former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has been accused of physically assaulting the embattled acting National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, by kicking him.
Obasanjo is a strong supporter of the LP Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi.
The Ogun state chapter of the party has been engulfed in crisis since 2022.
Some members of the party led by Arabambi had expressed their displeasure over the conduct of some officials at the national headquarters.
They also suspended the membership of Doyin Okupe, former Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the LP, who they said ceased to be a member of the party, having failed to pay his membership dues for six months as prescribed by the constitution.
The aggrieved party executives also demanded the immediate dissolution of the entire party’s Presidential Campaign Council, over alleged lopsidedness in its composition, stressing that the composition of its PCC does not reflect the federal character, unlike what is contained in the constitution of the party.
Although the party at the national headquarters earlier called their bluff, Arabambi further raised allegations of corruption against the national chairman, Julius Abure.
He accused Abure of obtaining money under false pretences and defrauding candidates and aspirants who obtained nomination forms to contest under the party.
It was gathered that members of the Ogun caretaker committee and some aggrieved members (dissolved members of the Executive Council) led by Arabambi met with Obasanjo at his residence on Wednesday afternoon.
During the meeting, the former President kicked the embattled LP spokesperson and ordered him to withdraw all petitions and court cases, multiple sources at the meetings told SaharaReporters.
Arabambi had petitioned the police and anti-graft agencies to investigate allegations of fraud and money laundering involving the party chairman, Abure, in Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo and some other states.
“The select caretaker committee members and dissolved exco met with Chief Obasanjo yesterday. After both sides presented their cases, Obasanjo lambasted Arabambi and his cohorts that they should respect party supremacy,” a member of the party at the meeting held in Abeokuta told SaharaReporters.
“He went further to warn Arabambi that if he doesn’t cooperate with the caretaker committee, he will get him arrested. Obasanjo even kicked Arabambi during the meeting.
“The meeting was held at Obasanjo’s house yesterday. He was blunt with him and asked him and others to withdraw all petitions or get arrested because of Obi.
“He said that even if the Labour Party chairman killed someone, this is not the time to complain.”
SaharaReporters learnt that Obasanjo wants all the corruption allegations and other ugly issues tarnishing the image of the party to be suspended till after the election as he doesn’t want anything to be used to jeopardise Obi’s chances.
When SaharaReporters called the state caretaker committee chairman, Lukman Jagun, who was in the meeting, on the phone, he said he was in a meeting at the time. He told our reporter to send a text. However, he failed to reply to the message hours after it was sent to him. He disconnected subsequent calls made by SaharaReporters.
Arabambi’s Petition
In a petition by Arabambi’s lawyer to the LP leadership, the embattled party spokesperson said the Chairman abused and used his office to corruptly enrich himself by obtaining money under false pretences from candidates.
The petition read, “We write this petition against the National Chairman over the allegation of obtaining money under pretence and defrauding of candidates and aspirants who obtained nomination forms to contest under our great Party. The office of our client has been inundated with complaints and reports from candidates of the Party who claimed that they have been defrauded by the National Chairman. The complainants informed our client that they are ready to come forward and give evidence with documentary proof.
“One of the candidates, Hon. George Gabriel Chiadikaobi whose name was submitted to INEC as the Party candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District informed our client that on 22nd day of August 2022 paid the sum of N2.5m to Labour Party account number 1021575052 domiciled with UBA for nominations into Senate Lagos West through Sunday Ajayi
“Also Umeadi Emmanuel Azubike whose name was submitted to INEC as the party candidate for House of Representatives Amuwo Odolin Federal Constituency Lagos State informed our Client that on the 20th day of July, 2022 paid the sum of N3,000,000,00 and also another paid N1,000,000.00 only on the 16th day of August, 2022 to the Lagos State, Labour Party Account Number: 11224871298 domiciled with Zenith Bank. Also at various times, over N27,000,000 have been paid to Barr. Julius Abure through other members of the party including Comrade Joseph Ndirang and others that will form the witness team against him.
“Despite all the intrigues and delay that he claimed his nominations suffer, he met with the National Chairman Bar Julius Abure in Abuja who directed the National Publicity Secretary, our client to effect immediately the name of our candidates in the list of substitution submitted to INEC.
“Hon. George reported to our client that he was asked by National Chairman not to deposit the balance of N2.5m meant for the Party nomination forms into Party official Account (UBA Account) but rather to pay the money into the National Chairman’s transport business account number 0821137431, Account Name: EVER READY TRANSPORT SERVICES LTD Domiciled with Access Bank which he did.
“It was after the above payment into the National Chairman’s personal account contrary to the Party’s Constitution that he instructed the National Legal Adviser to commence a fresh action at the Federal High Court Lagos where Hon. George was listed as the candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District.
“Hon. George later informed me that to his surprise, the National Chairman wrote a letter that the matter currently ongoing in the Federal High Court, Lagos be withdrawn and discontinued which will ultimately jeopardize the listing of his name as the Lagos West Senatorial candidate.
“Other candidates of our Party whose names were submitted for the Federal House of Representatives from various Federal Constituencies in Lagos also made similar allegations and reported to me that they have paid various sums meant for the Party into the personal accounts of the National Chairman based on his instructions.
“Our Client has also paid several Millions of Naira to the National Chairman which we have the evidence of transfer. There is no doubt that the National Chairman Bar Julius Abure has abused his office and used his office to corruptly enrich himself by obtaining money under false pretence from the candidates of our Party. These complainants are ready to provide evidence of those payments when the need arises.
“This development has brought shame to the Party and is the major reason for the ongoing internal crisis currently facing the Party in Lagos State. As the National Publicity Secretary and Image maker of the Party, our client owes it to the great Party as a duty to report this allegation as it is capable of imploding the party and distracting our focus from the 2023 general election unless it is investigated and resolved immediately. We want you to use your good office to investigate this fraudulent action against Bar Julius Abure for the interest of our great Party. Our client is available to provide further details on this.”
Last December, Arabambi also asked the Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Prof Akin Osuntokun, to resign from his position following his appointment.
SaharaReporters had reported how the former Director-General of the Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe, stepped down from the position.
The decision was connected to his conviction for money laundering at a Federal High Court in Abuja for two years with an option of a fine.
Following Dr Doyin Okupe’s resignation as Campaign Director-General, the Obi-Datti Ahmed Campaign Organisation named Osuntokun, a former Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, as the new DG of the Labour Party campaign organisation.
Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, served as Political Adviser to Obasanjo, and as Director of the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011.
Reacting to Osuntokun’s appointment, Arabambi in a statement opposed Osuntokun’s appointment, saying he was also a member of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Arabambi had said, “In my capacity as the National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, I am opposing the announcement of Prof Akin Osuntokun as the DG Labour Party Campaign Organisation because at present, he is the Senatorial candidate of Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Ekiti State and in the February 25, 2023, National Assembly election. The National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, by this treacherous act has compromised the victory of Labour Party and this political rascality will not stand.”
“I am therefore calling on Prof Akin Osuntokun to resign as the DG Labour Party campaign organisation with immediate effect or faces court action within the next five days,” he added.