In a historic move, Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election, has unveiled a detailed breakdown of his campaign finances.
Addressing the press in Abuja, Obi revealed that the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation expended a total of N1,395,976,994 during the electioneering process and subsequent legal proceedings.
Out of this sum, N595,976,984 was contributed by Nigerians who supported the campaign, while Obi himself contributed N800 million from his personal funds.
During the press conference, Obi urged all support groups, individuals, and parties that received funding from the campaign to provide an account of how they utilized the funds they received.
He emphasized, “While we didn’t impose strict regulations on the funds collected, we urge accountability and transparency in their utilization. We appeal to the public to ensure transparency in this matter.”
Responding to allegations of financial misconduct within the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), specifically against Julius Abure, Obi called for a thorough investigation into the accusations. He expressed his commitment to transparency, stating that any involvement with finances must be conducted openly.
Accompanied by Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chairman of the Fundraising Team of the Campaign Organisation, Obi disclosed a breakdown of the campaign’s expenditures. The organization strategically directed its efforts towards supporting Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed, engaging with numerous support groups across all 36 states in Nigeria.
Despite financial constraints preventing the utilization of television stations and other communication channels, the campaign employed various media-related campaigns, reaching over 11 million people through radio stations, community outreach, and social media platforms.
Yesufu outlined specific expenses, including N258,374,330 for campaign materials distributed nationwide, N16,432,867 for media and radio broadcasting, N324,381,700 for polling unit agents, and N1,750,544 for bank charges. Additionally, N744,500,000 was allocated for legal expenses, and over N28,500,000 was utilized for campaign and election activities.
In closing, Yesufu reiterated the organization’s commitment to accountability and transparency, expressing gratitude to all donors for their contributions, both financial and in kind.
