LP suspends treasurer for accusing Abure, others of N3.5bn fraud

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party (LP) has suspended the party’s National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, for six months.

Opara was suspended after she demanded accountability from the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, over N3.5 billion realised from sales of forms and other donations to the party.

The Star had reported that Opara, while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, February 12, 2024, said the LP has been plagued with financial mismanagement and corruption.

She alleged that Abure owns several houses and property.

Also speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday, the LP treasurer claimed that the Abure-led NWC was covertly working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.

However, the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, while reacting to the allegations on Wednesday, February 14, said Opara was suspended with immediate effect after she failed to honour an invitation by the LP NWC to resolve the crisis rocking the party.

Labour Party treasurer fights chairman over N3.5bn

Ifoh added that the LP treasurer was being used by dissidents in the party.

The party’s spokesman said: “After the 2023 general election, the Labour Party was marked for total annihilation by the system for daring to upstage the status quo of the political class.

“Little did we know that the fumigation was far from complete until late last year when signs emanated that our National Treasurer, Ms Oluchi Opara, a key member of the executive, turned out to be a mole in the house and has continued networking with the expelled members of the party leadership.

“Convinced that the treasurer is on a mission to stifle life out of our very cherished party, an emergency NWC was summoned on February 13. Arising from the meeting, the NWC set up a disciplinary committee to try Opara for bringing the party to disrepute.

“To exercise its powers as contained in the party’s constitution with the intention of a fair hearing, the NWC extended an invitation to her to appear before it today, February 14, by 10 a.m. to discuss the development. The party regrets that the treasurer shunned the invitation by the disciplinary committee to clear herself.

“We see this as an affront to the party leadership and millions of our members who are watching how their party’s image, which they have laboured hard to build.

“The disciplinary committee has, however, recommended to the National Executive Council of the party through the NWC that Oluchi Opara be suspended from the Labour Party for a minimum of six months. This suspension is with immediate effect.

“We sincerely regret this development. We however urge our teeming members to understand that this is a price to pay for success. We will continue to reform the party until we achieve the best, good enough to drive our New Nigeria agenda.”

Opara has however yet to speak on her suspension as of press time.

The Star