Labour Party Speaks On Abure’s Arrest In Edo

The Labour Party (LP) has condemned the arrest of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party said Abure was arrested by a combined team of police officers and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on Wednesday.

He said Abure, alongside the state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi and their aides were arrested following a petition by an expelled party member.

Ifoh stated that the police, however, refused to allow some party leaders to have access to them at the Zone 5 headquarters due to the huge crowd of party supporters who were expressing their displeasure over the arrest.

He said the arrest was to frustrate the primary process and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election.

The statement reads: “The Labour Party on Tuesday had a very successful delegate election in Benin ahead of the Party Primaries scheduled to hold on Friday. The party chairman only this morning along with party governorship aspirants also kept a scheduled security briefing with the Department of State Security (DSS).

“Abure was however arrested after the meeting by a combined team of DSS and Police officers. Abure, Ogbaloi and their aides were also manhandled.

“Effort by some party leaders to have access to the Zone 5 headquarters was turned down due to the huge crowd of party supporters who were expressing their displeasure over the arrest of Abure.

“However, a Police source informed the party officials and other governorship aspirants at the gate of the police headquarters that the arrest was in connection to a protest letter by one of the expelled members of the party loyal to the Apapa dissident camp.

“The source also confirmed that the arrest was not unconnected to the ongoing party primary and the possible candidate that will emerge which the state government is vehemently opposed to.”