The Labour Party has firmly addressed the swirling controversies and accusations directed at its National Chairman, Julius Abure, assuring supporters and the public that these attempts will not drive Peter Obi, their presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, away from the party’s ranks. This statement was released in Abuja by Obiora Ifoh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, who condemned the spread of falsehoods through social media and urged those behind the smear campaign to seek legal action if they believe in their claims.

The party also emphasized that Peter Obi, a central figure and the party’s national leader, remains unshaken by the ongoing smear campaign and is fully committed to the Labour Party as he looks towards the 2027 general elections. According to Ifoh, the unfounded attacks on Abure are perceived as politically motivated, part of a broader scheme by adversaries to sow discord and destabilize the party. He pointed out that the actual intent behind these attacks is to undermine Peter Obi’s political future and the Labour Party’s burgeoning influence following its impressive performance in the last general election.

Ifoh highlighted the unity within the party, noting Obi’s alignment with the Labour Party’s ideals of social democracy, which he believes is crucial for his vision of political engagement. Obi, described as a liberator rather than a ruler, contrasts with the leadership ethos of more traditional political parties, Ifoh added.

Addressing allegations of corrupt enrichment against Julius Abure, the spokesperson labeled them as baseless and a deliberate attempt to tarnish Abure’s reputation. He clarified that an audit report had vindicated the party’s financial management under Abure’s leadership since 2021. Moreover, Ifoh brought attention to a forensic audit from 2017 that implicated a then-suspended Treasurer in misappropriation of funds, suggesting that Abure’s insistence on accountability had ruffled feathers within the party.

The Labour Party emphasizes that Abure, who still resides in a rented apartment in Abuja and has only recently refurbished a family bungalow, is not living beyond his means. The narrative suggesting that Abure single-handedly misappropriated party funds is denounced as a deliberate distortion of facts, aimed at ousting him from his position. The party maintains that all financial transactions require dual authorization, further invalidating accusations of unilateral fund diversion by Abure.