- By Halimah Olamide
Labour Party on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of its national chairman, Mr. Julius Abure in Benin, the Edo state capital.
The party said also arrested was its Edo state chairman, Kelly Ogbaloi.
NPO Reported earlier that policemen had arrested Abure after manhandling him.
A statement by Obiorah Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of the party 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,”
Ifoh explained that 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,”
the statement said
NPO Reports learnt that the National Secretary of the party later arrived at the police headquarters saying he needed to fly down to Benin after the news of the arrest