Victor Ezeja
In his quest to maintain transparency and accountability, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, has given an account of the 2023 Obi-Datti Presidential campaign organisation funding.
The account was released during the party’s press conference held on Thursday in Abuja.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThis comes days after the party National Treasurer, Oluchi Oparah, accused the National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, of not being transparent about funds raised during the 2023 general elections and also preventing her from doing her job.
The national chairman on Thursday responded, denying the allegations and challenging Oluchi to prove with evidence.
According to details of the campaign funds released by the party, Obi donated ₦800 million to the campaign fund.
Below is the OBI-DATTI Campaign Financial Summary as released by the party.
Donations from citizens (in 4 banks): ₦575,976,994.00
Donation from Peter Obi: ₦800,000,000,00
Campaign materials: ₦268,374,330.00
Media and Radio broadcasting: ₦16,422,867.00
Election Promotion: materials ₦10,808,948.00
Polling Unit agents: ₦324,381,700.00
Bank charges: ₦1,750,544.00
Administrative charges: ₦477,000,00
Legal expenses: ₦744,500,000.00
Campaign and election activities ₦28,500,000.00
Balance ₦19,238,395.00
Commenting on it, Obi via a statement on his official X handle on Friday said they began the accounting process for Obi-Datti Campaign Funds for the 2023 general election, first with the crowdfunding in which the general public were asked to donate for the project.
He said the process was managed by Aisha Yesufu, a social activist and a member of the Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation.
Obi assured that with his involvement in the party leadership, they would maintain transparency and give account of all funds donated to them for the 2023 general election. He also urged support groups that worked with them that received denotations to do the same by accounting to those who donated to them.
“We will go from that to other processes, ensuring that we account to those who supported us either in cash or in kind to assure them that their contributions were properly used for the purpose which it was sought for and they graciously, and in some cases, immeasurably supported us.m,” Obi stated.
“We will also be directing various support groups and bodies that worked for our collective goal of birthing a New Nigeria to do the same by accounting to those who donated to them.”
He further said that in line with what he said after the Supreme Court judgement, they will, beginning from the end of the first quarter of this year, “embark on a Thank You tour to the various places we have been to, in order to physically appreciate our supporters.”
Obi and his campaign team had before the election, visited Nigerians in the disapora in Europe, America and others where they solicited financial and moral support for the election.
He thanked all who supported the struggle, adding that despite obstacles that came their way during the election, they still stood strong and displayed unwavering dedication to the struggle which play crucial role in shaping the future of the country.
“The generous support of our donors and their unwavering dedication and commitment to the democratic process, which we are committed to, have not gone unnoticed. Despite the challenges and obstacles that came our way, they stood strong and played a crucial role in shaping the future of our nation. We assure them that their sincere efforts have made a significant impact on our journey. Undeniably, the political landscape of our nation will never be the same again.
“The support of our followers has not only propelled us forward but has also given hope to countless others who remain committed to our journey to a New Nigeria which remains POssible,” he concluded.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
