Former National Treasurer of the Labour Party (LP), Oluchi Oparah, has revealed that the party generated over ₦3.5 billion during the buildup to the 2023 general elections, largely due to the mass support that followed Peter Obi’s entry into the party.
Speaking on the party’s financial history, Oparah said the unprecedented revenue came from the sale of nomination forms to aspirants, explaining that strict requirements were in place before any form was issued. “I know by my record, because I know a lot of people purchased the nomination forms. And for you to purchase nomination forms—for us to even give you a form—you must have met the requirement,” she stated.
According to her, the surge of interest was directly tied to Obi’s political influence. “If not for Mr. Peter Obi, we wouldn’t have gotten that kind of money. Nobody knew Labour Party at that time. Labour Party had no image. We were trying to launder back our image—to pick up our little pieces from where we had kept it,” she explained.
Oparah noted that the influx of aspirants and supporters who rallied behind Obi allowed the party to raise “to the tune of three-something billion naira”—funds she claims have still not been properly accounted for. “That account has not been rendered till tomorrow,” she added, suggesting a lingering lack of financial transparency within the party despite the massive boost in resources.
