Peter Obi to hire reputable audit firm to Investigate ₦3.5b scandal in LP

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election vows to ensure a reputable audit firm is hired to investigate the allegations regarding the funds the party realised during the build-up to the last election.

Obi said this during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, February 15, 2024, amid the allegations against the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, over the funds raised from sales of forms and campaign donations ahead of the 2023 election.

The national treasurer of the party, Oluchi Opara, had recently challenged Abure to account for the ₦3.5bn the party generated from the sale of nomination forms and fundraising activities.

But while addressing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Obi vowed to ensure a reputable firm is hired to audit the finances of the party.

The former Governor of Anambra State maintained that the allegation and counter-allegation among the party leaders must be thoroughly investigated and reconciled.

He said, “I have told everybody that whatever we receive directly or indirectly will be accounted for transparently. For the party, I am a member of the party and they have chosen to say I am the leader.

“What we need to do in the party as I have discussed with the leadership is that we must now appoint a reputable audit firm to audit and be able to deal with the accounting of the party.

Obi further said anywhere money is involved in a matter that concerns him, the money must be judiciously utilised, adding that the 2023 campaign funds would be accounted for.

He said, “When I am involved in anywhere money is, it must be transparently utilised. So there is the allegation and counter-allegation now that must be thoroughly investigated and verified. We will reconcile it and know exactly what we are doing.

“What we are doing here is accounting for the campaign. I am using the opportunity also to appeal to various support groups or individuals and parties that received some form of funding to support what we are doing which we are very grateful.”

Following the election, Aisha Yesufu, the Chairman of the Fundraising Team of the Obi Datti Campaign Organisation, disclosed the LP received ₦595,976,994.00 donations from Nigerians.

Meanwhile, following Oluchi’s allegations against Abure, the National Executive Council of the party on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, suspended her for a minimum of six months.