Labour Party suspends national treasurer for six months

The Labour Party has suspended its National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, for six months.

Opara had on Monday challenged the LP National Chairman, Julius Abure, to account for N3.5 billion realised by the party from the sales of nomination forms and other activities before the 2023 general election.

The LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, announced the treasurer’s suspension at a media briefing held at the party’s national secretariat on Wednesday in Abuja.

He alleged that Opara was sponsored by the same people who used Lamidi Apapa and others to cause a crisis in the party after the general election.

The spokesman argued that the party only realised N1.2 billion from members’ donations and sales of forms contrary to the claim by the treasurer.

READ ALSO: Labour Party members facing threats after 2023 elections —Abure

He added that the suspension took immediate effect.

Ifoh said: “Opara alleged that Abure forged the signature of the late chairman, Alhaji A. Abdulsalam, two months after his death to withdraw huge sums of money but her memory was so short to remember that Abure only emerged as the chairman about four months after the demise of the former chairman. She also forgot in a hurry that she and the late chairman exclusively operated the accounts of the party.

“She also alleged that the party amassed a whooping N3.5 billion naira from the sale of forms from the 2023 election. We wished that was true but the truth is that the party realised only N1.2 billion from not just the sale of forms but also from other sources including membership cards and donations amongst others.

“The party through the campaign bodies and support groups realized another N800.000.000, a fund solely managed by the Campaign Organisation, not the party.

“The party accounts have been properly audited up till June 2023 and have since been submitted and received by INEC.”

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