Oluchi Opara, the former National Treasurer of the Labour Party, has accused the factional chairman, Julius Abure, of forging the signature of the party’s late chairman and embezzling party funds by transferring money to his wife, siblings, staff, and his personal company.
Opara claimed that when Abure took over as national chairman from the late A.A. Salam, the party had no money in its accounts. However, within two months of Salam’s death, Abure allegedly emptied the party’s account.
According to Opara, the Labour Party gained relevance due to its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. She emphasized that Abure has no grounds to criticize Obi, who she credited with reviving the party and boosting its finances.
In an interview with News Central, Opara stated, “I have previously called for Julius Abure to explain what happened to the Labour Party’s finances, including allegations of embezzlement, misappropriation, and forgery of the late chairman’s signature to withdraw funds posthumously.”
She further criticized Abure for not allowing an independent audit of the party’s accounts and instead attempting to launch a campaign against Peter Obi. “Before Peter Obi, there was no Abure. The Labour Party was insignificant,” Opara added.
Opara accused Abure of being ungrateful and trying to divert attention from the allegations of looting campaign funds. She challenged him to permit an independent audit of the party’s finances. She also contradicted Abure’s claim that the party was not in control of campaign funds, stating that the account number shared by Aisha Yesufu, a former member of the Obi/Datti campaign council, was the one used to receive donations from Nigerians.
Opara condemned Abure’s actions, calling him out for damaging the image of Peter Obi, a respected political figure. She insisted that an independent audit should be conducted, stating, “He should stop spreading lies and face the allegations against him.”
When asked to confirm the accusations, Opara reiterated that Abure forged the signature of the late chairman A.A. Salam two months after his death to clear the party’s accounts. She alleged that Abure funneled money through his wife, brother, company, and even staff members.
Opara concluded by calling for transparency: “If Abure denies these accusations, he should allow the accounts to be reactivated for public scrutiny. How could the late chairman, after his death, sign a check authorizing money transfers?”
She urged Abure to stop deflecting blame onto Peter Obi and address the serious allegations against him.
