Factional national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has denied allegations that he diverted funds meant for the party’s polling agents during the 2023 general election.
Abure was reacting to a claim by investigative journalist David Hundeyin, who in a viral post alleged: “Regardless of what you have heard, we did NOT have polling agents the last time out. Abure sat on that budget and became rich overnight.”
In a statement released on Monday, Abure dismissed the allegation as false and malicious, saying the Labour Party never received major campaign funding and that all finances were handled by Peter Obi’s presidential campaign organisation.
He said: “This is not just false, it is a dangerous lie, one that I have debunked over and over again.
“I have also publicly presented my personal and party financial records for scrutiny. Peter Obi himself is aware that the party did not receive disbursement nor major campaign funds during the elections.”
Abure pointed to activist Aisha Yesufu and renowned accountant, Pastor Itauh Ighodalo as those who managed the campaign funds and disbursed resources during the election.
He said: “The above video where Aisha Yesufu admitted how she received campaign funds and how it was used will help the likes of Hundeyin to properly redirect their emotions,
“Why is David Hundeyin afraid of mentioning Aisha Yesufu, who herself has acknowledged responsibility?”
He challenged Hundeyin to provide proof that he misappropriated any budgetary allocation for polling agents.
His words: “As an investigative journalist, David Hundeyin claims to be, if he has evidence that I, Abure, ‘sat on the polling agent budget,’ let him release it.
“If not, let him stop weaponising his Twitter threads to wage a personal war disguised as journalism. Enough is enough.”