Taiwo Popoola
The National Working Committee of the Labour Party, LP, has urged the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe Aisha Yesufu, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and leaders of Afenifere over alleged misappropriation of funds from the 2023 presidential campaign.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, made the call at a press conference on Wednesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He expressed concern over recent comments by Yesufu, who defended herself against accusations of being involved in the alleged diversion of the 2023 campaign funds.
The LP had alleged that Yesufu, along with Pastor Ighodalo and other accomplices, mismanaged and diverted over N12bn and $15m donations intended for the Labour Party’s campaign.
Reacting, Yesufu, in a viral video posted on her official YouTube account on Tuesday, challenged Abure to tell Nigerians what he did with the proceeds of the ‘Labour Party N1,000 Challenge’ campaign donations he has been raising since 2022.
She said, “That statement Abure made was a big fat lie. He thinks it was like those days when they used to do their Labour unionism when nobody had the internet or kept records; those days they got away with everything. When it comes to certain things, I am a very detailed and process-driven person.
“There were times when the fundraising team was frustrated with me because of my insistence on due process. Before Mr Obi came out with his campaign account, the Labour Party had theirs. I have with me here a ‘Labour Party N1,000 Challenge’ post that was tweeted on 24/11/22. It said ‘Take ownership of the LP campaign by donating a minimum of N1,000 to Labour Party Zenith Account 1225832294.
“When that account was opened by Abure, I was very angry. I remember some people harmlessly saying it was no big deal since it was for the same Labour Party campaign. But I insisted that it is not the same thing because we don’t have access to any money that went into the LP account and therefore can’t use it to facilitate the electioneering campaign.
“So for Julius Abure to come out in 2024 to blatantly lie that they were not involved in any campaign, saying it was only Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua (is unbelievable). By the way, there are three signatories, not two as he said. Up till now, the LP has not accounted for the money the public donated to them nor have they accounted for the money used to procure forms.”
Arabambi debunked Yesufu’s denials as attempts to cover up the alleged financial misconduct, berating her statements as an insult to the party’s leadership.
He also accused Yesufu and her associates of acting under the direction of Obi, whom he described as a “political merchant,” to defraud the party.
Arabambi further implicated Afenifere leaders, including Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Akin Osuntokun, and Sola Ebiseni, accusing them of retaining over N600m in private accounts linked to Afenifere.
According to him, they were hired by Obi to commit fraud and divert funds from the Labour Party’s presidential campaign.
“The trio of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Akin Osuntokun, and Sola Ebiseni were involved in financial infractions totaling over ₦600m, which they have kept in private accounts and Afenifere accounts.
Peter Obi hired Aisha Yesufu, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, and this faction of Afenifere to commit looting, criminal conspiracy, and diversion of funds from the Labour Party’s presidential campaign while presenting themselves as elder statesmen,” Arabambi stated.
