Galway Mayor Helen Ogbu shared a personal account of moving to Ireland in 2005 following her husband's murder, a narrative that predates its appearance on her official website, according to new evidence. The Labour Party has maintained that an erroneous claim on the website, stating Ogbu moved to Ireland in 2006 after her husband's death, was a "mistake inadvertently made" and only recently discovered.
However, a report from Nigerian news outlet Channels Television, shared by Ogbu on her YouTube channel on February 11, 2025, stated, "The 51-year-old fled to Ireland in 2005 after her husband was murdered." Ogbu's husband was reportedly murdered in Nigeria in 2010, not 2006, and she arrived in Ireland in 2005.
The Labour Party has faced scrutiny over the conflicting timelines and the party's responses. A spokeswoman for the party stated that neither the Labour Party nor Ogbu spoke with Channels Television and that inquiries about the source of the information should be directed to the Nigerian outlet. When questioned about Ogbu sharing incorrect information prior to the website's launch, the party reiterated that both Ogbu and the party "only recently found out about the website mistake."
The disputed claim was also included in a letter from party leader Ivana Bacik announcing Ogbu's candidacy for the Galway West by-election. While a party spokeswoman previously stated that Ogbu "did not make this incorrect claim," evidence suggests she was sharing the same narrative before the website was live.
Ogbu herself had previously stated on Galway Bay FM that she was aware of errors on her site since last year. The party, however, clarified that this referred to issues with her website linking to the British Labour Party, not the biographical statement.
A review of Ogbu's website using the Wayback Machine indicates that the site was not live until after March 16, 2025, with an earlier version stating, "Councillor Helen’s website is launching soon."
Ogbu has attributed the website error to the company that developed it, while Labour TD George Lawlor pointed to a party activist. Sources within the party suggest these reasons are related.
Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has called for Ivana Bacik to clarify the situation, stating that the explanations provided "are certainly drawn up from the back of a matchbox" and calling for "fair and honest clarity." He noted that he had been contacted by constituents asking him to raise the issue.