Social critic Aisha Yesufu has sharply criticized Julius Abure, the former National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), accusing him of dishonesty regarding the management of the party’s funds. Yesufu’s comments come in response to Abure’s recent statements about the handling of campaign funds during the 2023 general elections.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Yesufu expressed her frustration with Abure’s claims, stating, “He thinks one can lie shamelessly without being fact-checked.” This criticism follows Abure’s assertion that Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo were responsible for managing the campaign funds for the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the 2023 elections.
Abure’s comments were made amid ongoing rumors that he mismanaged the party’s finances. He alleged that the party had no access to the bank accounts established for donations to support Obi’s candidacy and claimed that Yesufu and Ighodalo were the only individuals with access to these accounts.
Abure defended his actions by saying, “The party was never involved in the distribution of those resources. Our primary concern was to elect a president for the party. How the funds were managed was not our concern. We allowed Yesufu and Ighodalo to handle the funds as they saw fit and supported their efforts.”
Yesufu, however, disputes this narrative. She pointed out a post from Abure in 2022, where he encouraged supporters to donate at least N1,000 to the Labour Party’s campaign account. This post contradicts Abure’s current claims about the management of campaign funds, leading Yesufu to challenge his credibility.
The dispute highlights the broader issues facing the Labour Party as it navigates the aftermath of the 2023 elections. As public scrutiny continues, both Yesufu and Abure’s statements are likely to influence the ongoing discourse about transparency and accountability within the party. The unfolding situation remains a focal point for political analysts and party supporters alike, as they seek clarity on the handling of campaign finances.