Taraba State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has suspended its chairperson, Esther Gulum, from office for after being accused of siphoning over N21 million meant for campaign.
The Executive Council also passed a vote of no confidence on her, as it seeks to investigate how she misappropriated over N21 million meant for campaigns.
The State Organising Secretary, Peter Philip, who confirmed that the alleged diversion of fund was meant for the party’s presidential rally in the state, said Gulum is also being accused of running the party affairs alone with her immediate family members.
Philip said that such aberrative action necessitated the action taken by the party’s executive against her.
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“Lack of accountability and transparency in running the affairs of the party in the state,” they said, was the order of the day.
But Gulum claimed to be innocent of the allegations against her.
While admitting that N17 million was approved for the rally, she said N9 million was released to her for the exercise, which account, she had rendered to the exco.
She said: “It is childish and false to say that I was given N20 million by Peter Obi’s campaign council and I embezzled it. I was not given N20 million; I was given only N9 million and I used it judiciously with a clear record.”
According to her, the allegations against her can be the handiwork of a youth leader, who wants to soil her good name and image in his desperation to make money.
“It is also false to say that I am running the party office with my immediate family and that I engage in anti-party. I want the national secretariat and all supporters of our party to disregard the information, as it is purely false, targeted at tarnishing my good image and that of my family. I am a loyal party woman and I am Obedient,” she added.