The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barrister Julius Abure, has been arrested.
Abure was arrested by the police on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 in Benin City, Edo State.
He was arrested along with the state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi.
Abure was arrested based on a petition by the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party (LP), Comrade Eragbe Anselm.
Anselm had petitioned the police accusing Abure of premeditated attempted murder, amongst other alleged infractions.
The petition, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, dated February 13, partly reads: “I, Comrade Eragbe Anselm, write to you with utmost urgency and grave concern regarding a heinous act of violence perpetrated against me on the 29th of December 2023.
“I am a member and National Youth Leader of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria, and the events I am about to recount are of utmost importance for justice and the safety of individuals involved in political activities.
“On December 28, 2023, I flew into Benin City Airport about 2 p.m. as part of an official 5-member delegation authorised by the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa.
“Our mission was to organise Ward, LGA, and State Congresses in Edo State, as well as supervise the sale of nomination forms for various posts, as mandated by INEC guidelines, within the stipulated time frames.
“On arrival at the Benin Airport, I was received by one Mrs Mary Okheime Newberry, who falsely claimed to be providing transportation and accommodation on behalf of unnamed “stakeholders.”
“She proceeded to lodge us at the Smart Homes Hotel, unknown to us that she was plotting a sinister and gruesome ambush. The next morning, a man named Austin Emeka came to pick me and my colleague, Mr. Patrick Anethua, up from the hotel lobby, pretending to take us to a meeting venue.
“Instead, we were violently attacked just outside the hotel gates by a waiting mob.”
National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed Abure and Ogbaloi’s arrest.
Ifoh said: “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.
“Abure was however arrested after the meeting by a combined team of DSS and Police officers. Abure, Ogbaloi and their aides were also manhandled.
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“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.”
The opposition party stated that a Police source informed LP officials and other governorship aspirants at the gate of the police headquarters that the arrest was in connection with a protest letter by one of the expelled members of the party loyal to Apapa camp.
“The source also confirmed that the arrest was not unconnected with 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,” he said.
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