Election is expensive — we need to raise funds, LP tells campaign council

Julius Abure, national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), says the party’s “greatest” challenge is the lack of funds to run campaigns for the 2023 general election. 

Abure said this on Friday at the inauguration of the party’s presidential campaign council in Abuja.

The LP national chairman said Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, cannot fund the campaigns alone, hence all members need to support with raising funds.

“The party is competing against parties that have stolen our resources and common patrimony and are ready to deploy it in the election,” he said.

“Presidential election is very expensive. It is very costly. Our slogan is that we don’t give ‘shishi’, but this time around, we have to look for money.

“Nigerians have realised they need to take back the country. The massive support and followership enjoyed in recent times show the people are ready and determined to take back their country.

“We need a lot of funding to drive the process. The presidential candidate cannot fund the campaigns alone; he does not have the money. The greatest challenge that we are likely to have in this campaign is funding.

“Our presidential candidate was a governor in Anambra. He is the only governor known not to have embezzled money. He kept N75 billion in the account of Anambra state and he is the only governor not on pension.

“The point I am making is that he cannot fund the presidential campaigns alone. Therefore, all of us in this council have the responsibility to join hands with the party to see how we can raise funds for this campaign.”

Earlier in October, Obi unveiled a portal for the donation of funds for the party’s campaign.

The LP presidential candidate asked his supporters to send donations and keep tabs on the campaign activities of the party through the website.