The fundraising team for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organization revealed that Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, spent an astounding N744,500,000 on legal fees after losing the 2023 presidential race.
Aisha Yesufu, the fundraising team’s chairman, revealed this information on Thursday at a news conference in Abuja.
N744.5 million was spent by Peter Obi’s campaign team on election lawsuits.
While detailing the LP’s election expenditures, Yesufu stated that the party had received N596 million in donations from Nigerians worldwide as well as from members of the Obidient movements.
“Accountability and transparency are very critical and important,” stated Yesufu. We received gifts totaling N595,976,994 from four financial institutions, including Heritage Bank and Zenith Bank. Additionally, we got N800 million from the candidate (Obi). Many volunteers and merchants contributed a great deal to the campaign without expecting remuneration, even though some money arrived just a week before the election.
“We created a strategic plan aimed at directing the momentum and backing for Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed through direct and indirect assistance to more than 100 organizations throughout all 36 states of Nigeria. We also used social media, community outreach, and over 40 radio stations to launch media-related initiatives that reached over 11 million people.
Yesufu asserted that his polling unit agents were paid N324 million, despite allegations to the contrary.
She also expressed concern that due to budgetary limitations, they were unable to effectively use television advertisements for their campaign.
Thus, from these items, campaign materials totaling N258,374,330 were purchased and delivered to all 36 states as well as Abuja. Radio broadcasts and other media came at a cost of N16,432,867.
“We deployed N744,500,000 to cover legal expenses and had N10,808,948 for election promotion expenses.” We appreciate all of the generous financial and kind donations.
In the February 25, 2023, presidential election that was won by Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Obi received 6,101,533 votes to finish third.
However, Obi and the LP disagreed with the results of the election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
After 171 days of legal proceedings, he began a legal struggle and contested the electoral results all the way to the Supreme Court, which on October 26, 2023, validated Tinubu’s election.
