Labour Party Investigates NWC Over Fraud and Forgery Allegations Against Abure: An Inside Report
Explore the NWC's response to allegations of fraud and forgery against Abure in the Labour Party. Get latest news, updates, and insights on the party's handling of the situation. Stay informed about political events affecting party members.
Yunusa Tanko, the Media and Publicity Director for the Labour Party (LP), has announced the party's National Working Committee (NWC) will release a detailed statement concerning the accusations made against its national chairman, Julius Abure. He added that the NWC has allowed Abure the chance to defend himself and they will announce the outcome of their investigation. If Abure is found guilty, he will face expulsion from the party.
The LP is currently experiencing a leadership crisis, which intensified with the arrest of the national chairman in Benin City, Edo State, for alleged forgery and illegal firearm possession. The arrest resulted from a petition filed by disgruntled party members, who claim Abure forged the signature of the party’s national secretary, Kayode Ajulo, to withdraw N1.3 billion from the party's account. It was also alleged that Abure threatened to kill them if his actions were questioned.
Abure has denied the allegations, claiming to have evidence of his innocence and stating that the cases are already before the court. In an interview with ARISE TV, Tanko explained that the NWC initiated an internal investigation to determine the validity of the signature and a forensic analysis is forthcoming. He further accused the petitioners of being influenced by external forces seeking to unsettle the party and damage its reputation before the upcoming gubernatorial primary election in Edo state.
Tanko said, “I brought documents to back up whether Abure did forge a signature or not. As these cases are already in court, a forensic investigation will confirm if a forgery actually occurred. The party will launch an internal investigation which will allow us to publicize our actions and confirm forgery allegations. We started the investigation a few months ago when these issues surfaced. However, before we could address one issue, another would emerge, leading us to believe these are not random occurrences but a well-planned attempt to tarnish the party's reputation. The NWC will respond to each allegation against the chairman."
