The Labour Party through its Presidential Campaign Council Spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the National Chairman, Julius Abure, of being the mastermind behind the internal crisis rocking the party.
Okonkwo made these allegations following a disagreement between Abure and the caretaker committee led by Nenadi Usman, which has refused to recognize him as their leader.
He claimed that the actions of the democratic association’s leader, whose leadership was declared void by the former veteran actor, are creating division among members, leading to in-house conflicts.
The former spokesperson also accused Abure of unethical behaviour after alleging that he forges fellow party member’s signatures to obtain funds.
Okonkwo, who described him as a “serial signature forger,” stated that the party head is not interested in the progress of the democratic association but rather is focused on lining his own pockets
“Abure is not looking out for the interests of the Labour Party or its members; he is only concerned with enriching himself. He is not a man of the people,” Okonkwo said.
“Arabami came forward and revealed that he has a criminal report from the police inviting Abure to answer to certain allegations, and I have seen the evidence myself.”
“Now, the national treasurer of the Labour Party has come forward and stated that Abure forged her signature to collect money. The former national deputy chairman has also made similar allegations, stating that Abure forged signatures to collect money. He is a serial offender, and what I am saying is just the tip of the iceberg. I have spoken to people who have made similar comments and have evidence to back up their claims.”
Speaking during an interview on a popular television program on Tuesday, Okonkwo, who announced his resignation in a statement, stated that until Abure steps down from his position, the Labour Party will remain in chaos.
He also decried the irregularities in the party’s election process, noting that party executives are elected by representatives of the party in a democratic manner, but these policies are not being implemented.
He also cleared the air over claims of being Abure’s enemy, saying, “I have defended Abure more than anyone else in the party, so he cannot be my problem. I have never sought to occupy any position in the party, and my only concern is the well-being of the party and its members.”
When asked if he would return to the All Progressive Congress (APC), Okonkwo opposed the idea, stating that he stands for good governance and will always speak out against any administration that fails to work in the best interests of the people.
According to him, he left the APC initially because President Bola Tinubu decided to run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 election.
He said, “I left the APC because they were the ruling party, and I waited to see what they would offer. However, when Tinubu chose to run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it became clear that he was not interested in recognizing the country’s religious and ethnic diversity.”
“The Muslims are suffering the most, and they were used to gain power. The power was then given to Tinubu’s cronies rather than being distributed fairly. I am a man who seeks good governance, and I see a leader who has turned Nigeria into a nation of suffering. He has caused the country to pay 1000 times more than it should, rather than 199 naira”
” If I see all these things and return to the APC, then I am not serious. If the APC changes its ways tomorrow, I will be the first to acknowledge it. I resigned on principle, and until these issues are addressed, I will remain opposed to any party that fails to recognize our diversity. I am in politics for the people, and I will always put their interests first.”
