A group of former Labour Party (LP) stakeholders has issued a strong and urgent demand for the refund of aspirant fees allegedly collected by Agada — threatening to formally petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if the money is not returned within a specified timeframe in what is shaping up to be a damaging internal financial controversy for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former stakeholders allege that aspirant fees were collected from candidates who expressed interest in contesting under the Labour Party platform — but that the party failed to conduct the promised primary processes for which the fees were paid, effectively collecting money from aspiring politicians without delivering the democratic exercise that justified the payment.
The aggrieved group described the alleged non-refund of aspirant fees as a serious act of financial misconduct — one that, if left unaddressed, constitutes what they characterise as a fraudulent collection of funds from individuals who paid in good faith based on the party’s representations about its primary processes.
The threat to petition the EFCC signals the depth of the stakeholders’ frustration — and their determination to escalate the matter to Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency if internal party channels fail to produce satisfactory and timely restitution for those who paid aspirant fees and received nothing in return.
The controversy adds to the growing list of internal challenges facing the Labour Party at a critical moment — when the party is simultaneously managing its Obi-Kwankwaso presidential alliance, multiple state-level primary disputes, and the delicate task of consolidating its 2023 electoral gains into a sustainable and credible 2027 political platform.
Political observers warn that financial controversies of this nature, if not swiftly resolved, carry the potential to significantly damage the LP’s reputation as a reform-oriented alternative to the APC and PDP — undermining the party’s carefully cultivated image as a cleaner, more principled, and more transparent political platform.
The former stakeholders are calling on the Labour Party National Working Committee to immediately intervene — directing that all aspirant fees be accounted for transparently and that eligible refunds be processed without further delay or evasion.
They further warned that the EFCC petition is not an idle threat — stating that documentary evidence of the fee collections has been preserved and will be submitted to the commission if the party fails to act responsibly and promptly.
Agada and the Labour Party national leadership are yet to formally respond to the stakeholders’ demands and refund ultimatum at the time of filing this report.
CDA News Nigeria will continue to monitor this developing financial controversy within the Labour Party and bring you updates as the situation unfolds.
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