The crisis rocking the Labour Party took a new twist last week when the National Working Committee suspended its National Treasurer, Ms. Oluchi Oparah. Oparah had alleged that the National Chairman, Julius Abure misappropriated N3.5 billion. In this television interview, Abure dismissed Oparah’s allegation, saying that what entered into the party’s accounts was N1.3 billion, in addition to another N700 million that came into the campaign fund. He threatened legal actions against Oparah, saying external factors are using her to destabilize the party. He also said that he is not running for the office of the governor in Edo State. Excerpts:
There are allegations that you used party funds, money paid for forms, and money collected during by-election to buy houses for yourself in Nigeria and also overseas. What do you have to say about this?
Well, first and foremost, I need to make it abundantly clear that I am the first national chairman of the party, who has been able to make and ensure that we have financial records in the office. Before I assumed office as national chairman of the party, which was in 2021, there were no financial records in the office and Oluchi Oparah has been the national treasurer of the party from 2014 to date. I will challenge her to bring all her records from 2014 when she became national treasurer to 2020, 2021 before I assumed office as the national chairman of the party.
Today, as we speak, there is an accountant in the office. All the books of accounts are opened. The cash book, vouchers, and receipts of payment are all available in the office, including all the bank statements.
I must make it clear that I have never at any point in time stopped or prevented Oluchi Opara from carrying out her duties as national treasurer of the party. What is her duty? If you look at our party’s constitution, page 28 is very clear that the responsibility of the national treasurer of the party is number one: to receive money and then pay the same immediately into the party’s accounts. Today, it is no longer in vogue for monies to be paid to the treasurer who will pay into the account. People do direct transfers and all these resources, all this money enter the party’s accounts directly.
The second role of the national treasurer is to compile financial reports and then present them to the house. The third function is to co-sign cheques with me and I have the right to sign cheques with either the national secretary or treasurer of the party.
I need to make it very clear that at no point have I stopped the national treasurer from performing her duties. I have a few cheques here, photocopies of cheques that I signed with the treasurer in recent times. They are all here and they are very visible. I decided to make a few samples of it. This is the signature of Oluchi Oparah as she signed cheques with me last year. Some of these cheques were in June; some were in July, signed by me and Oparah as the national treasurer of the party. Some were signed in August, some in December. All these are available and I am sure that as soon as I leave this studio, I will use your platform to display so that you can have it. I have never at any point in time prevented her from doing or performing her duties.
In June, when it was time for us to compile our records abundantly, we wrote to all the banks, and we directed the banks that she should be obliged with all the statements of account to enable her to compile whatever records she wanted to compile.
I must state here clearly that those records are available in the office. But when it became apparent that she needed those records, we immediately obliged the banks; we immediately wrote to the banks and these are all the letters we wrote to the banks to send all the bank statements to her so that she can go ahead to compile all her records.
At no time have we stopped Oluchi from performing her functions. I must also put on record here that it is not true what she said that the party has collected over N3.5 billion. I need to make it abundantly clear that we already have audited reports made by a certified auditor of the party.
The party has an external auditor, who has reviewed all the records and we have all the audited statements of accounts from 2022 to 2023. All these records are available. The audited statement of accounts is here. I have them here. The total money that entered the party between 2022 and now is N1.3 billion. Nothing more, nothing less. We also got N700 million, which were the campaign funds that went straight to the campaign organisation for the campaigns. I don’t know and I cannot reconcile where she got the N3.5 billion that she talked about. I want to challenge her that she should make the records available where she arrived at the sum of N3.5 billion as money generated during the election.
“I don’t know and I cannot reconcile where she got the N3.5 billion that she talked about”
She mentioned that the N14 million paid by the former chairman, Alhaji AbdulKadir Abdul Salam, was withdrawn from the same account between February 28 and March 7, 2021 and she didn’t co-sign any cheque to that effect. At that time, she said there were only three signatories to the account: you, the former chairman, and herself. Who signed those cheques? How then did the sum of money leave the account if one signatory had passed, and she wasn’t aware of it, while you were the other signatory to the account?
Well, I will start with the very last question. The late chairman departed on December 29, 2020, and on December 31, we had a new acting national Chairman, who took over, Maria Labeke, and we effected all the changes in the account.
The change of signatories was effected and that was how we were able to run the party from January 2021 to March 2021, when we had the next meeting in Benin, where I emerged as the National Chairman of the party.
All the money withdrawn between January 2021 and March was withdrawn and we co-signed with the acting chairman of the party, Maria Labeke.
I was the national secretary of the party at the time and there was no way I could have withdrawn money from the account or any person could have withdrawn money from the account without the three signatories. We were able to withdraw because we effected all the changes in the signatory.
We brought in the new acting National Chairman, Labeke, who co-signed all the cheques with us. Even Oluchi Oparah, was one of those who equally signed some of those cheques.
For instance, all the money that was spent during the next National Executive Council meeting in March was co-signed between the acting chairman and the treasurer. So, a change of signatories was effected and we needed to run the party.
We needed to do a lot of other activities for the party at that time and it was Maria Labeke who was the co-signatory to that account. These facts are very clear and they are obvious. There can be no vacuum in leadership. There cannot be any vacuum in running an opposition.
So, the treasurer wasn’t aware?
I have stated here clearly that she was aware of the change of signatory. You can go to the Zenith Bank to go and confirm. We should not sit here and just make allegations. Go to the bank and confirm the signatories to that account between January 2021 and March 2021. The records are there.
Bank statements will not lie. Banks will not tell you a lie. Even as Arise Television, you can write to the bank for them to give you the facts and I am sure that they will gladly oblige you. Change of signatures was effected. Oluchi Opara was aware of it. She participated in the running of the party at that time and she co-signed almost all those cheques along with us and the acting National Chairman.
I say here very clearly that most of the funds were released during the NEC meeting in Benin. She signed all those cheques, and went and verified. I am saying it very clearly, and probably I don’t have that account number here. You can have that account number. You reach out to the account officer, do your independent investigation and you will see that it is very clear she was aware.
She is only being mischievous by misinforming members of the public of the true state of affairs in the LP. The picture she has painted is a very wrong picture of the administration of the party and I am very sure that is why the National Working Committee is enraged by her character and her behaviour.
Some of these issues, when they were brought to the attention of the NWC, which had already set up a committee to look into the matters that were raised, she left, disregarded the committee and went ahead to make these allegations all-round the place.
She said Peter Obi intervened. Peter Obi intervened and also asked her to hold on and that those issues were going to be resolved, but she left, disregarded the party, the party leadership, disregarded the internal mechanism of the party, and decided to make these spurious allegations that are baseless on the leadership of the party.
How many bank accounts does the LP operate? Secondly, Obiora, who was speaking for the party, said that there were external saboteurs involved, using Oluchi Opara as an agent. Do you know who these saboteurs are? Thirdly, is it true that you want to join the gubernatorial race on the platform of the LP in Edo State?
Well, let me state here clearly that we have three accounts. We have one in Zenith Bank, one at UBA, and then one with Fidelity Bank with three signatories for all: myself as ‘A’ signatory, the National Secretary as ‘B’ signatory and the National Treasurer as signatory C. Yes, Obiora stated clearly yesterday. And that is the opinion of the NWC. I am sure that you have been following the activities of the party, our major crime, as opposition, and why people want to destabilise the party. It is not fair for me to start mentioning names and parties here.
If you follow the activities closely, you will recall that the party came under attack after the general election of 2023. The intention is to destabilise the party, disorganize it, take over the leadership of the party, and therefore destroy the very foundation of the party so that there won’t be credible opposition in the country.
It is very obvious that a lot of people are being used to disrupt and cause chaos in the party. In Edo State, for instance, I must say here clearly that I am not interested in the gubernatorial race. I am not going to run. I feel that the process must be transparent, open, and competitive.
I have quarreled over the years that the reason why we have failed in leadership is that all other political parties, who have given us leaders over the years have lacked internal party democracy and therefore the best cannot come out of the parties.
Therefore, now that I have this opportunity, especially in Edo State, I will ensure, acting and working with my other colleagues in the NWC, that the process will be fair, free, and credible. I feel that I have that responsibility to ensure that I do that for the people of Edo to make sure that we get the best of the best candidates. To answer you squarely, I am not running for the office of the governor in Edo State.
Now just to mention a few things you talked about with regards to the accounts. You said that Maria Labeke, who was acting chairman during that time, became a signatory. In what month, just to clarify?
Yes, I took over the leadership of the party on March 29.
When did she become a signatory of the account, was it January or the end of March?
It was January. I took over the leadership of the party in March and therefore she could not have become a signatory of the party by the end of March. She became acting National Chairman of the party on December 31, 2020 and by January, we had effected a change of signatories and she started running the account. She ran the account till the end of March 2021 and I took over the leadership of the party on March 29. We then effected other changes in the account and I became the A signature. There’s no way she would have become a signatory to the account after she has been removed from office.
What you are saying today is at variance with what Madam Oluchi said when she was here with us. One would have expected that the party would in the spirit of fairness investigate both claims, because what she said when she was here on Tuesday was that she didn’t co-sign those cheques. She said she wasn’t aware of those cheques going out. But what you are saying today is that she was aware and that she did sign. So it’s your word against hers, and one would assume that for investigation.
Let me show you, you see in law, the evidence speaks for itself. When I was making my remarks, I showed you cheques here that were co-signed between me and Oluchi Oparah. This is Oluchi Oparah’s signature, last year, June, July, and December.
All these are the samples of cheques that I brought to this studio. I had to bring them out yesterday from our records. All these cheques I came here with are cheques that are signed and co-signed between me and Oluchi Opara. There are some of the cheques here that were signed by the three signatures, myself, the National Secretary and the National Treasurer. Some other cheques are here that were co-signed between me and her. This is her Oluchi Opara signature. This is her signature and this is my signature. These are recent cheques that were signed last year.
I do not doubt that she might have signed all the cheques. The timeline in question – February 28 to March 7, 2021- was what she questioned, not the fact that she didn’t sign. She said that N14 million was withdrawn from the same account between February 28 and March 7, 2021. Do you have any of those cheques with you? Because that is what she harped on, not just her signing cheques generally?
The reason I am saying this is that she equally alleged that she doesn’t run the party. She doesn’t know what is happening in the account. I am only proving to you that she has come to lie and to misinform members of the public to bring us and bring the party to disrepute.
She was in this same studio and told you that she never had access to the account. She didn’t know how the account was being run. And so I came here with a lot of these cheques to show to you that she was lying. I have those cheques that were signed between February and March 2021.
Those cheques are not here, but these are public documents that you can get from the bank. I expected that you would also tell her to provide that evidence in law, he who asserts must prove, he who alleges must prove. I had expected that you also asked her to bring the evidence to show that those monies were withdrawn without her signature. I have come here to show you cheques that were co-signed by me and Oluchi Opara, and I have said very clearly that she co-signed those checks and those checks are available in the bank and you can go and find out and find out.
“She is being used, and manipulated. It is very obvious. I am sure that very soon those behind the scenes will be known and it will become very obvious”
So are you going to sue Opara for defamation? We asked her to provide evidence, and she insisted that you know and that it is up to you to defend yourself. Secondly, don’t you find this very embarrassing, given the trust many young people had in your party during the 2023 general election? I know people have been disappointed having invested so much in the party thinking that it would be different from the existing political parties.
Yes, I must state here clearly that beyond just right of reply, if not that there was an insistence that I should reply. Ordinarily, I will get people to reply and put all the facts, all these facts before you. But I decided to come here to make a few clarifications on all of these issues. I have said so very clearly.
My lawyers are working. By today, those cases will be filed, and the cases of defamation will be filed against Oluchi Oparah, who came to national television to defame my person and to bring down my reputation. This is very clear. There is no way I could have taken this for granted. It is beyond just a right of reply on national television. I am going to take steps.
To answer the second question, I will say it is unfortunate, and I found this equally very embarrassing, that it is even those within the party that is being used to destabilise it.
Were you not surprised at the emergence of an Apapa Bashiru who rose up and simply was working against the interest of the party? Today, you can see the allegations and all the spurious allegations made by Oluchi Opara and I am sure this is why the National Public Secretary of the party came out yesterday to say clearly that external factors are using some people in the party to destabilise the party.
But this is not surprising in politics as those in government or opposition political parties, who are afraid of the rising fortune of the party, will want to get people within the party to cause chaos in it. And this is truly the situation. As much as it is embarrassing to us, it is a challenge that we must deal with as a party and I am happy that we are dealing with it.
You saw the behaviour of Apapa and other members of the party, who attempted to destroy the case of Peter Obi in court, and they took several steps to disparage the party, and disorganized it in the process of that litigation.
What does that tell you? That tells you that an external hand is involved in this. And this is not also unlikely in the case of Oluchi or Opara. She is being used, and manipulated. It is very obvious. I am sure that very soon those behind the scenes will be known and it will become very obvious. You saw what happened to Apapa in the courts during the court processes; the people reacted and brought justice to bear right there because the people saw it clearly and this is what is happening.
Following the recent meeting, a statement by your party also traded counter accusations of Opara’s time in office. One of the things you said was that she ran the accounting process exclusively with the former chairman and also that there was no single document on the financial records from 2014 to 2021. And so you are accusing her of perhaps some financial misappropriation or lack of accountability and transparency. How did this go on from 2014 to 2021 without anyone raising any alarm about this?
When we raised the alarm in 2017, I spearheaded that struggle for accountability. If you recall in 2017, the party was also in turmoil like this, where we fought hard and there were forensic audit reports. I have that report here, where Oluchi Opara was responsible for the signing and transferring of money to personal accounts. All the records are here from 2014 to 2017.
Why wasn’t something done about it at the time?
Something was done about it. There was a National Convention. They were all suspended from the party at that time in 2017. That year, there was a special national convention that was called to address all of these issues, and that National Convention suspended the four of them.
The crisis went on through 2018, and it took the intervention of the former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko and all others to reconcile the party. Because of the 2019 general election, it became very obvious that if that crisis continued, we wouldn’t be able to field candidates in the 2019 general election, which meant that the party would have been deregistered if we were unable to feature candidates for that election.
Therefore putting the overall interest of the party into perspective at the instance of Mimiko and other leaders of the party who wanted to join the party at that time, we had a reconciliation and we needed to go back to work with AbdulSalam Abdulkadir and she was the treasurer at that time. And those records are here. The audit report is available here and I can also make that report available. That audit report indicted Oparah and the immediate past national chairman.
