The Labour Party (LP) has tackled former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, over his allegation that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government was buying over opposition parties with N50million to undermine the democratic process in the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The LP said Abubakar made the claim while speaking at the national conference on strengthening democracy, which ended in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Monday.
Several groups, including the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development; the Centre for Democracy and Development; the Westminster Foundation for Democracy; the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa; and the National Peace Committee, organised the conference.
The former VP had said, “I want to make this public. I met with leaders of a political party in the opposition, and they openly admitted that this government gives them N50 million each.”
While denying that the LP was on the payroll of any government or individuals who were not members of the party, it challenged the ex-VP to provide proof of the allegation.
The party accused Abubakar of relying on “gossip from an unarmed source “ to make what it described as a “wild, unguarded and unfounded” claim.
“We are shocked that a high caliber politician who has contested elections all his life and is often regarded as a very experienced politician could make such a wild, unguarded and unfounded statement.
“For us in the Labour Party, a party which has remained the strongest and most veritable opposition and which speaks truth to power; a party that led the most serious campaign in the 2023 general election and has been steadfast and has remained the voice of the people, we view that statement as demeaning, ignominious, reckless and a let down from someone like Atiku Abubakar.
“We want to put it on record that the Labour Party has run a frugal administration from funds internally generated, having not received support from our elected representatives. And in spite of the challenges the party has faced in the recent past, the leadership of the party has remained solid and committed to the ideals of the party”, LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, reacted in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Advising Abubakar to be more circumspect in making allegations, the LP further noted that verifying who was paid money by the government shouldn’t be difficult for the former VP, as evidence would usually be available to prove who was paid salaries by the APC government.“
The leadership has not received any salary from anybody. Salaries are not hidden and it is not difficult to verify who and who are on the government payroll. It is a public document and it can be verified.
“We, therefore, advise Atiku to be circumspect and careful in generalising certain allegations. We expect him to speak for himself and his party”, it said.
The LP added that the opposition, being the “oxygen” of democracy, should be encouraged to function instead of being vilified by politicians who should know better.It stated further,
“The opposition is the oxygen of any virile democracy, because it helps put the government in power in proper checks while also ensuring inclusivity in democratic participation.
“Democracy without opposition is an autocracy and it takes a lot of sacrifices to sustain opposition. It is therefore frustrating and unpatriotic when leaders who ought to know better, begin to derive joy in denigrating the opposition camp and making jests of their sacrifices.
“We are therefore calling on Atiku Abubakar to provide concrete evidence to substantiate his allegations without which Nigerians will be forced to take every other of his statements with a pinch of salt or viewed as politically-motivated.”
