The Labour Party’s National Working Committee, under the direction of Julius Abure, has demanded that the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission look into allegations of financial misappropriation from the 2023 presidential campaign involving Aisha Yesufu, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, Peter Obi, the party’s nominee, and Afenifere leaders.
Abayomi Arabambi, the LP’s national publicity secretary, made the request on Wednesday during a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Concerned remarks were made recently by Yesufu, who defended herself against charges of having a hand in the purported misappropriation of campaign finances for 2023, according to Arabambi.
The party has claimed that Yesufu mismanaged and misappropriated about N12 billion and $15 million in donations meant for the Labour Party’s campaign, together with Pastor Ighodalo and other accomplices.
Arabambi condemned Yesufu’s remarks as an affront to the party’s leadership and wrote off her protestations as attempts to hide the suspected financial malfeasance.
Additionally, he charged that Yesufu and her allies had defrauded the party by acting on behalf of Obi, a man he referred to as a “political merchant.”
Furthermore, Arabambi accused prominent Afenifere figures Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Akin Osuntokun, and Sola Ebiseni of holding more than N600 million in Afenifere-related private accounts.
He asserted that Obi had used these people to steal money from the Labour Party’s presidential campaign and commit fraud.
“The trio of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Akin Osuntokun, and Sola Ebiseni were involved in financial infractions totaling over ₦600m, which they have kept in private accounts and Afenifere accounts,” Arabambi stated. “Peter Obi allegedly hired Aisha Yesufu, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, and this faction of Afenifere to commit looting, criminal conspiracy, and diversion of funds from the Labour Party’s presidential campaign while presenting themselves as elder statesmen.”
Arabambi emphasised the party’s dedication to accountability and openness and demanded that all bank accounts connected to the purported misbehaviour be looked at.
In order to determine how much Afenifere was involved in the purported scam, he called for a comprehensive probe of the accounts connected to Adebanjo, Osuntokun, and Ebiseni.
Dr. Yunisa Tanko, the Obedient Movement’s National Coordinator, called the accusations “false and baseless.”
The accusations are baseless. In a phone interview with our correspondent, Dr. Tanko said, “The truth is that no money is missing from the Labour Party’s accounts. I was present when Aisha Yesufu provided the audited account of the presidential campaign fund.”
When approached, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Deputy Leader of Afenifere, stated he was unaware of the accusations. “I recently came across the extensive press release you mentioned. Although I haven’t read it, we would definitely reply if Afenifere needs to later, Olaitan stated.
