POLITICS: LP Crises Deepens as 36 States Chairmen Demand Abure to Step Down
By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
The crises rocking the opposition Labour party has deepens as 36 states Chairmen of the party unanimously signed vote of no confidence on led faction national chairman of the labour party Barrister Julius Abure, to step down immediately
They made their stand contained and read by the Plateau state labour party chairman Comrade Solomon Ndam, on behalf of all 36 states chairmen in a statement during a press briefing held in Bauchi state on Saturday
It could recalled that on 12 of February 2024 the embattled national chairman Mr. Abure was accused recently of mismanagement of funds belonging to the party and asked by the national treasurer of the party to account of the alleged missing wooping amount to the tune of N3.5 billion naira realized from the sales of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections
Aslo according to the national treasurer Mrs. Uluchi Opara in Abuja tells journalists while alleges that,
"During off-cycle elections in several states last year, the party raised around N958 million from nomination forms and donations. These funds have completely vanished under under Mr. Abure's oversight – with zero paper trail.
While on a fundraising tour in the United States in August 2023, Mr. Abure and his cronies raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from the party’s diaspora"
According to the 36 chairmen stands with Peter Obi for his swift action in response to the call for the external auditing of the Labour Party's account, they further state that the gesture underscore his unwavering commitment to transparency and the principle of the new Nigeria project
However, the statement find ourselves at a critical juncture where we must address certain internal matters for the sake of our party's integrity In the spirit of openness and accountability as elected Chairmen of Labour Party in Nigeria,
"we wishes to address certain concerns that have come to our attention. We are appealing to His Excellency Petet G. Obi, Senator Ahmed Datti, and other distinguished personalities within the party to join us in requesting Barrister Abure to step aside"
However, the step is essential to facilitate the establishment of an independent investigative panel that will thoroughly examine various allegations, including the misappropriation of funds level against him by the Treasurer of our Party and indeed the complaints of forgery and impersonation by a lof our party aggrieved members
Against the above mention and other allegations on Abure compelled us to take a stand on the matter.
Furthermore, we want to draw attention to a critical matter that could impact the upcoming off-season election in Edo State. We want to remind the party and the people of Edo State about the potential repercussions if we emerge victorious and these legal complexities surrounding the leadership of the party is not been addressed.
While relating issues, A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, led by Justice Hamza Muazu, on April 5th, 2023, restrained Barrister Abure from parading himself as the national chairman of the LP. It is imperative for the party and the people of Edo State to consider this matter seriously, as the actions of one individual should not jeopardize the efforts of our candidate and the aspirations of our voters in Edo State.
We remain committed to the principles of the New Nigeria project and believe that by addressing these concerns head-on, we can strengthen the Labour Party, uphold justice, and continue our journey towards a brighter future.