Oluchi Opara, the former National Treasurer of the Labour Party, has made serious allegations against Julius Abure, the factional chairman of the party. Opara claims that Abure misappropriated campaign funds by transferring money into the accounts of his wife, siblings, staff, and his personal company.
Opara, who previously called for transparency regarding the party’s finances, alleges that Abure forged the signature of the late A.A. Salam, the former national chairman, to access the funds. According to Opara, when Abure took over, the party had no money, but shortly after Salam’s death, Abure withdrew the funds.
In an interview with News Central, Opara stated, “The party’s financial resources were depleted soon after Abure assumed leadership. His actions have been detrimental, and instead of coming clean, he is trying to deflect blame onto others, including Mr. Peter Obi, who significantly contributed to the party’s recent visibility and success.”
Opara also challenged Abure to allow an independent audit of the party’s accounts to verify her claims. She insisted that the Labour Party did indeed have a campaign account, contradicting Abure’s recent statements denying its existence.
She further alleged that Abure had transferred campaign funds into various accounts, including those of his staff, and that these funds were eventually funneled back to him. Opara expressed frustration over what she perceives as an attempt by Abure to distract from these serious allegations.
“The accusations against Abure should be investigated thoroughly. If he is not guilty, let an independent auditor confirm that. It is crucial for the integrity of our party and for transparency in our political process,” Opara concluded.