A former Treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), Oluchi Oparah, has debunked claims that the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, spent party funds to finance his election campaign.
Oparah made the clarification during an interview on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, in reaction to recent allegations by a party chieftain, Abayomi Arabambi, who had accused Obi of dipping into party resources for his personal campaign.
“There was nothing of such. Mr Obi never spent any money meant for the party,” Oparah stated. “In fact, he lifted the party from zero level to where it is today. Mr Obi fulfilled every righteousness financially towards the Labour Party.”
She further maintained that Obi did not request or collect money from the party at any point, stressing that he bore the financial burden of the campaign and other party-related activities solely from his own pocket.
“He spent a lot of money on the Labour Party. We had programmes that Mr Obi solely financed. The Labour Party did not have a dime at the time. Everything we ran on came from his personal support,” she said.
According to her, Obi’s interest in the LP was rooted in genuine political conviction rather than financial demands. She described him as the only aspirant who showed seriousness in contesting under the party’s banner.
“As far as I am concerned, Mr Obi was the only person who showed interest in contesting on the platform of the Labour Party,” Oparah said. “Anyone making contrary claims should provide evidence of any payment they made to the party’s account.”
The former Anambra State governor, who emerged as a prominent third force during the 2023 elections, has continued to face criticisms from some quarters within the party. However, his supporters and allies have continued to defend his integrity and personal commitment to the LP project.
