The Labour Party has refuted rumors circulating about the potential suspension of Peter Obi, its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, amidst ongoing financial controversies within the party.
In a brief statement shared on its official Twitter account on Monday, February 19, 2024, the party dismissed the reports as false and baseless.
Furthermore, the party urged its members to disregard claims suggesting that state chairmen have issued a vote of no confidence against Julius Abure, the national chairman of the party.
The statement emphasized, “Disregard the trending story that State Chairmen passed a vote-of-no-confidence on @Julius_Abure & that our dear Natl. Political Icon @PeterObi will be suspended. Not true. It’s fake, unfounded & handiwork of detractors. @inecnigeria recognized state chairmen will address the press.”
Disregard trending story that State Chairmen passed a vote-of-no-confidence on @Julius_Abure & that our dear Natl. Political Icon @PeterObi will be suspended. Not true. It's fake, unfounded & handiwork of detractors.@inecnigeria recognized state chairmen will address the press pic.twitter.com/PyG8v5gA9J
— LabourPartyNG (@NgLabour) February 19, 2024
Previously, there were reports indicating that LP chairmen from all 36 states had called for Abure’s resignation following allegations of financial mismanagement made against him by Oluchi Opara, the suspended national treasurer of the party.
Opara, who was suspended by the National Executive Council two days after publicly accusing Abure of misappropriating ₦3.5 billion in party funds, initiated the crisis within the party.
This allegation sparked a series of disputes within the party, with Obi pledging to engage a reputable audit firm to scrutinize the party’s financial records.
Amidst the internal turmoil, a prominent Twitter handle, widely followed by Obi’s supporters, @PIDOMNIGERIA, claimed that Abure was plotting to suspend the former Governor of Anambra State.