On Thursday, August 7, 2025, Ms. Oluchi Oparah, former National Treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), dismissed allegations by LP chieftain Mr. Abayomi Arabambi that former Anambra Governor Mr. Peter Obi misused party funds during his 2023 presidential campaign. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oparah stated that Obi personally financed his campaign and significantly supported the LP, lifting it from financial distress. She noted that prior to Obi’s 2022 defection from the PDP, the LP was heavily indebted and unable to pay staff salaries, with records showing a ₦150 million debt in 2021, per Premium Times. Oparah emphasized that Obi never requested party funds, unlike typical practices in other parties, and instead donated from his personal resources to programs like voter mobilization and rallies, which cost the LP ₦1.2 billion in 2022–2023, per internal party audits.
Oparah clarified that Obi operated a separate campaign account, as permitted under the Electoral Act 2022 (Section 88), distinct from the LP’s official accounts, which she managed as treasurer until her exit in 2024 amid factional disputes. She challenged Arabambi to provide evidence of financial misconduct, stating, “Show us the particular account to which they paid whatever they claim.” Oparah praised Obi’s philanthropy, citing his pre-political donations to education and health, including ₦100 million to Shanahan University in 2018. She criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) government’s lack of accountability, pointing to ₦3.7 trillion in unverified subsidy savings in 2024 (BudgIT data), and urged focus on governance over attacking Obi. X posts from @ChannelsTV and @ObiDientMedia on August 7, 2025, highlighted Oparah’s defense, with supporters lauding Obi’s integrity, while @APCWatchNG questioned her claims, citing ongoing LP leadership crises between the Abure and Nenadi factions.
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