LP Crisis: State Chairmen Back Obi’s Call For Forensic Audit Of Accounts

• State chairmen of the Labour Party support Peter Obi’s call for a forensic audit to investigate financial impropriety allegations
• Ceekay Igara, representing the chairmen, denies fraud allegations against LP’s national chairman, Julius Abure, and expresses support for Obi

The chairmen of the Labour Party (LP) in the 36 states and the FCT have backed the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in calling for a forensic audit of the party’s accounts to investigate allegations of financial impropriety against its national chairman.

The Chairman of the Council of State Chairmen of the LP, Ceekay Igara (Abia State), who spoke on behalf of others, however, denied the financial fraud allegations against the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure.

They announced on Tuesday following a meeting at the party’s national secretariat, during which they also voted to support Abure and Obi.

“His (Obi) decision to involve an independent auditor is a welcome one, and we believe that the outcome will finally exonerate Abure and also expose the lies being peddled by the suspended treasurer,” he said.

Igara also debunked reports that the party was contemplating the suspension of Obi.

“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 of the strangulation under this present government. What you are witnessing now is orchestrated and will fizzle out very soon,” Igara said.

It was reported that Mrs Oparah had accused Abure of mismanaging the funds of the party and asked him to account for the alleged missing N3.5bn realized from the sale of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections.

While Abure denied the allegations, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), however, slammed a six-month suspension on Oparah, for false allegation and failure to appear before a committee to address her allegations and grievances.

This was followed by Obi demanding an investigation of the party’s finances and records by a reputable audit firm.