Politics
Aisha Yesufu hits back at Abure, asks him to account for LP campaign funds
Aisha Yesufu has responded to the claim by the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, that she and Pastor Itua Ighodalo were responsible for managing the campaign funds donated to Peter Obi’s presidential campaign for the 2023 election.
While addressing journalists on Monday, September 9, 2024, after the party’s National Executive Council, Abure dismissed the allegation that he embezzled the party’s campaign donations.
He said there was no way he could have embezzled the party’s campaign funds since he was not directly involved in the management of the funds.
Abure said, “The party and I have been accused of being responsible for Peter Obi’s failure in the 2023 general election. They stated that the campaign, election donations and funds for the payment of agents were mismanaged by the party hence Peter Obi failed in the election.
“The election funding was done by Obi himself. As per the donations, the party was not involved. The signatories to these accounts were Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo. They were equally responsible for the payment of Polling Unit Agents.
“Consequently, it is mischievous for any person to accuse me and the party of mismanagement of these funds. At no time did the Party or its officials engage in any financial transactions as it relates to the presidential campaign.”
Reacting to Abure’s claim, Yesufu, who was the chairman of the campaign fundraising team, described the Labour Party National Chairman as a liar.
The activist asked Abure to disclose how he spent the proceeds of the ‘Labour Party ₦1,000 Challenge’ campaign donations which according to her started in 2022.
Yesufu said Abure also opened an account to receive campaign donations on behalf of the Labour Party, saying she did not have access to the account.
The activist, therefore, asked Abure to account for the funds donated to the party and the money the party used to procure forms for its candidates.
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 internet or keep 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 ₦1,000 Challenge’ post that was tweeted on 24/11/22. It said ‘Take ownership of the LP campaign by donating a minimum of ₦1,000 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 neither have they accounted for the money used to procure forms.”
The embezzlement allegations between Aisha and Abure came six months after the former announced that the fundraising team received donations totalling ₦596m from the party and Obi supporters.
Senator Ned Nwoko has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move, confirmed through reliable sources, has sparked discussions within political circles about its potential implications for the 2027 elections.
According to reports, Senator Nwoko’s decision to join the APC is influenced by speculation that former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is eyeing a Senate seat in the next electoral cycle.
This development is said to have prompted the senator to reconsider his political alliances, aligning with a party that may better support his future ambitions.
Senator Nwoko, who has been a prominent figure in Delta State politics and a key member of the PDP, is known for his strong advocacy for developmental projects and his stance on national unity.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, Dr Asue Ighodalo on Friday, opened his case challenging the victory of Sen. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by tendering over 1000 documents used in the election, in support of his petition.
Ighodalo and th PDP in a petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024 are contesting Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Okpebholo, winner of the election alleging that there were irregularities during the exercise.
Ighodalo claimed that he scored the highest valid votes and not Okpebholo and wondered why the INEC would declare him the winner.
When hearing resumes on Friday, the Lead counsel to the Petitioners, Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, tendered from the bar Certified True Copy (CTC) of Form EC8E which is the INEC’s final declaration result sheet of the poll in support of the petitioners’ cases.
Kenneth Mozia, who conducted the presentations at the instance of Oyeyipo also tendered CTC of Form EC8D; the summary of results from Local Government Areas Collation at the State Level.
Other documents tenders were Certified True Copies of Form EC8Cs, covering the 18 Local Government Areas in the state, CTC of Forms EC8B (Wards Results Sheets) used for the conduct of the election in the 192 Wards in the state were also tendered by Mozia, all in support of the petitioner’s cases.
The petitioners further tendered in evidence 320 Certified True Copies of Form EC8A documents (polling Units results sheets),
While presenting before the court 318 CTCs of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, each containing Form EC25D, Mozia, again, tendered in court 58 CTCs of Form EC8A (IREV).
Reacting, counsel to INEC, Governor Monday Okpebholo and APC (1st to 3rd respondents), Kanu Agabi, SAN, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, and D.C. Denwigwe, SAN, who held the brief of Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents
The respondent’s counsel told the court that they would be abducing reasons for their objections to the petitioners’ CTC documents at the final address stage of the petition.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi led the tribunal in response provisionally admitted all the documents tendered in evidence and marked the same as exhibits.
“Learned counsel to the respondents shall state their reasons for their objections at the address stage”, Justice Kpochi held.
Hearing on the petition continues tomorrow, Saturday, December 18, 2024 as the petitioners are expected to tender more documents in support of their petitions.
There was confusion at the entrance of the courtroom where the Edo state Governorship election petition Tribunal were sitting as youth leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC chased out private security men believed to have been contracted by the Governorship aspirant of the PDP in the just concluded Edo Governorship election.
The drama started at the corridor leading to the courtroom when the APC youth leaders and their supporters were prevented from gaining access, before they mobilized their supporters to chase the security men who were dressed in black away.
Speaking to newsmen, two of the APC youth leaders identified as Comrade Kelly and Tony Kabaka, said they have to chase them away as only the DSS and policemen were permitted to provide security at the court.
Meanwhile, former deputy governor of Edo state Comrade Philip Shaibu and Asue Ighodalo of the PDP were present inside the courtroom while the drama lasted.
I received N80m tax bill after revealing my weekly income – Food critic Opeyemi Famakin
Panic in Kaduna village after suspected cattle rustlers’ attack, over 20 killed
Port Harcourt refinery: NNPCL disowns recruitment notice
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
News19 hours agoJust in: Again , Petrol Price Increases To N1150 Per Litre Nationwide
-
News19 hours agoSad: Ex-Delta First Lady, former beauty queen, dies in London hospital
-
News19 hours agoSEE Dollar (USD) to Naira Black Market Rate Today January 18, 2025 Aboki
-
News19 hours agoUK Court Jails 35-yr-old Nigerian 10 Yrs After Brutal R3pe Of Woman In Nottingham
-
News10 hours agoJust in: Gov Soludo reveals those behind kidnapping in SE, says it’s now a lucrative biz
-
News16 hours agoPolice declare Ex-President Jonathan’s aide , Reno Omokri wanted
-
Politics12 hours agoJust in: Senator Nwoko reportedly dumps PDP for APC
-
News12 hours agoSad! Train Crushes Man To D3ath In Oshodi, Lagos