By Ijeoma Wilfred
For unearthing alleged fraud by the National Chairman of the Labour party, Julius Abure ,the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party has suspended the national treasurer of Labour Party, Oluchi Opara for six months.
Opara had made appearance on National Television asking Abure to account for N3.5 billion funds belonging to the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh made the announcement at a press conference at the party Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, February 14,2024.
The Suspended National Treasurer had on Monday ,February 12, asked Abure to account for N3.5 billion raised from the sale of nomination forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 general election.
Also speaking on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Tuesday, Opara claimed that Abure induced her with cash and car to win her over against the corruption scandal.
She also accused the Abure-led NWC of anti party activities claiming it was working hand-in-hand with the administration of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo state .
But reacting to her allegations on Wednesday, Ifoh, described Opara as a mole who was “being used by dissidents in the party.”
He told journalists that the decision to sanction Opara was taken after she failed to honour an invitation by the party’s NWC to resolve the conflict on Tuesday.
Ifoh said “After the 2023 general election, Labour Party was marked for total annihilation by the system for daring to upstage the status quo of the political class. Little did we know that the fumigation was far from complete until late last year when signs emanated that our national treasurer, Ms. Oluchi Opara, a key member of the executive, turned out to be a mole in the house and has continued networking with the expelled members of the party leadership.
“Convinced that the treasurer is on a mission to stifle life out of our very cherished party, an emergency NWC was summoned on February 13. Arising from the meeting, the NWC set up a disciplinary committee to try Opara for bringing the party to disrepute
“To exercise its powers as contained in the party’s Constitution with the intention of a fair hearing, the NWC extended an invitation to her to appear before it today, February 14 by 10 a.m. to discuss the development. The party regrets that the treasurer shunned the invitation by the disciplinary committee to clear herself.
“We see this as an affront to the party leadership and millions of our members who are watching how their party’s image which they have laboured hard to build is trolled by one ingrate.
“The disciplinary committee has, however, recommended to the National Executive Council of the party through the NWC that Ms Oluchi Opara be suspended from the Labour Party for a minimum of six months. This suspension is with immediate effect.
“We sincerely regret this development. We, however, urge our teeming members to understand that this is a price to pay for success. We will continue to reform the party until we achieve the best, good enough to drive our New Nigeria agenda.” He added.
