The Labour Party (LP) has alleged that the police and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Julius Abure, its national chairman.
Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the party, said in a statement on Wednesday that Abure was arrested alongside Kelly Ogbaloi, the LP chairman in Edo state.
Ifoh said Abure and Ogbaloi were allegedly arrested over a protest letter by an expelled member of the party loyal to the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the party.
“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 the State Security,” Ifoh said.
“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 member of the party loyal to 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.
“He informed that the arrest was to frustrate the primary process and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election.”
ABURE NOT IN OUR CUSTODY, SAY EDO POLICE
In a video circulating on social media, armed men dressed in police uniforms could be seen attempting to arrest Abure.
However, Chidi Nwabuzor, spokesperson of the Edo police command disclosed that the LP chairman is not in their custody.
“I know nothing about his arrest. He is not in our custody. Peradventure I hear anything of such, I will let you know,” Nwabuzor said.
On February 12, Oluchi Oparah, national treasurer of the LP, at a press conference in Abuja, accused Abure of allegedly misappropriating N3.5 billion belonging to the party.
She said the N3.5 billion was raised from sales of forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 elections.
In reaction, Abure in an interview on Arise Television said he would sue Oluchi for defamation of character.
He also said the party did not raise N3.5 billion from the sale of forms as the national treasurer alleged.
