IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, has clarified that the party is not broke but needs the support of stakeholders to fund the 2023 campaign of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential elections, the Labour Party had tasked members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to intensify efforts towards the funding of the campaigns.
While inaugurating the LP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, on Friday, Abure lamented that it was not easy to prosecute a presidential election in Nigeria and appealed to members of the Council to work towards mobilizing funds for the party.
Abure appealed to members of the party, members of the campaign and well-meaning Nigerians who are interested in “enthroning good leadership” to join hands with the party.
He said even though the slogan of the Obi-Dient movement is “we do not give shishi,” this time around the party needs money to prosecute the campaign.
“The party is in serious need of funding required to prosecute the elections,” he said.
Abure said Presidential election is expensive and competing against the main parties “that have stolen resources and ready to deploy it in the election” was not going to be an easy task.
He said even though the task ahead is enormous, they are pleased because “Nigerians have realized they need to take back their country. The massive support and followership enjoyed in recent times shows the people are ready and determined to take back their country.
“We need a lot of funding to drive the process, as the presidential candidate cannot do it alone.”
The Chairman of PCC, Mohammed Zarewa, in his acceptance speech, assured that the members will do everything possible to deliver Nigeria to the Labour Party candidates.
Doyin Okupe, the Director General of the campaign council, also charged members of the campaign Council to take their assignments seriously and work hard to deliver their various constituencies.
“We will continue to make use of as many people as are will to be of help to ensure the success of this party.”
Abure emphasized in a statement released after the event that Obi can’t fund his campaign alone because he didn’t engage in the “gluttonic acquisition” as Anambra State governor between 2006 and 2014.
The statement reads: “LABOUR PARTY IS NOT BROKE
At a well attended inauguration of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on Friday, I spoke extensively on the importance of campaign funding and the need for collaboration with stakeholders, particularly the candidates of the party at various levels.
“I also emphasised that our presidential candidate alone cannot fund the election as he is known to be someone who did not engage in the gluttonic acquisition of our common patrimony in his days as a public servant.
However, the news making the round that I said that Labour Party is broke 24 hours to our campaign was reported out of context, hence the need to put the records straight.
“What I said is that presidential election is very expensive and the presidential candidate alone will not be able to shoulder all the expenses and that we will therefore be needing collaboration from all candidates of the party and all well-meaning Nigerians.
The Nigerian media have been very wonderful and have being playing key role in the efforts by Nigerians to win back our country again. It is therefore commendable how they have partnered with the Labour Party on this task of voting out the fraudulent political circle that have undermined the people and mortgaged their destiny. We sincerely salute your courage.
“Finally, I like to reiterate that Labour Party is not broke. We are not broke. We only need support from stakeholders to be able to embark on the nationwide campaign, to be able to tell Nigerians how we will return Nigeria to its place of pride.
Sign:
Barr Julius Abure
National Chairman
Labour Party
29/10/2022″