JUST IN: Labour Party suspends Treasurer, Opara

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party has suspended the National Treasurer of the party, Ms Oluchi Opara, for defaming the party and bringing it to disrepute with a spurious allegation of financial impropriety.

“The disciplinary committee has, however, recommended to the National Executive Council of the party through the National Working Committee that Ms Oluchi Opara be suspended from the Labour Party for a minimum of 6 months.

“This suspension is with immediate effect. We sincerely regret this development. We, however, urge our team members to understand that this is a price to pay for success.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, LP Pastor Obiora Ifoh, said this on Wednesday at a press conference in Abuja, where he was flanked by members of the National Working Committee of the Party.

According to Ifoh, the allegation that it made N3.5bn from the sales of forms and other earnings was far from the truth, as it only received N1.2bn directly into the party accounts from sales of forms and other sources, while the presidential campaign office of the party received N800 million.

Pastor Ifoh said this can be verified from the account statement of the party. While challenging the suspended national treasurer to provide evidence of her claims.

Ifo said: “The party accounts have been properly audited up until June 2023 and have since been submitted and received by INEC.

“It may surprise you to know that not many political parties have submitted their 2022 audited accounts. The allegation that the audited account was doctored is a matter of libel, which we have taken note of.

“She will be made to give further clarification as to how bank transactions are falsified, as auditors only work with evidence of transactions emanating from statements from the banks.

“The NWC, as part of its mandate to resolve any crisis in the party through its internal mechanisms procedure, met on Friday (09-02-2024) last week and raised a five-man investigation committee to take a critical look at the allegations that emanated from the National Treasurer with the mandate to within one month resolve the impasse and make recommendations to the whole committee.

“The National Treasurer and, indeed, all members of the NWC were present at the meeting and endorsed the committee. It was indeed a rude shock, in total disregard for the NWC position and troubleshooting efforts, that the National Treasurer, three days later, reneged on the understanding that all attacks and diatribes must cease for peace to reign.

“The National Treasurer, on Monday, February 12th, also disregarded the constituted authority of the party by addressing a world press conference where she disparaged the person of our national chairman and also brought the party to opprobrium.

“Not satisfied with the public humiliation, the National Treasurer on the following day appeared in the ARISE television programme to further disrepute the party and misinformed millions of viewers on the internal affairs of the party against the rules and regulations of the party.

“Convinced that the National Treasurer is on a mission to stifle life out of our very cherished party, an emergency NWC was summoned yesterday, February 13.

“Arising from the meeting, the NWC set up a disciplinary committee to try the National Treasurer, Ms. Oluchi Opara, for bringing the party into disrepute.

At the meeting held Tuesday evening, February 13, 2024, in Abuja, in exercise of its powers as contained in the Party’s Constitution with the intention of a fair hearing, the NWC extended an invitation to the National Treasurer to appear before it on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, by 10am (12 hours) to discuss the recent developments.

“The party regrets that the National Treasurer shunned the invitation by the disciplinary committee to clear herself and her actions. We see this as an assault on 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 party stated.