By Seyi Odewale
Barely a day after the Labour Party (LP) Chairmen in the 36 states of the country and Abuja passed a vote of confidence on their National Chairman, Julius Abure, and Less than three days to the primary election of the party for the Edo State governorship election, Abure was yesterday arrested by the operatives of the Zone 5 headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Benin City, Edo State.
Abure, it was gathered, was arrested following a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), bothering on conspiracy and causing bodily harm among others written by a faction of the party. It was also gathered that the action led to the Apapa faction of the party to petition the police for attempted murder.
There was a blockade by people entering the premises when newsmen got there as only police officers, some officials of the party and some VIPs were allowed inside to join the national president of the party.
A crowd believed to be supporters and followers of Abure were also stopped at the gate of the premises.
Abure’s arrest, it was gathered, was as a result of a petition written to the Zone from the office of the Inspector General of Police in Abuja.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Zone Tijani Momoh said: “There is a standing order for now that nobody should come in. Yes, the Labour Party National Chairman is here, and it has to do with a petition that was referred to this office from the Inspector General of Police. It was referred to Zone 5 from the IG’s office, he is with us, but I cannot give the contents of the petition right now.”
When asked if he was being detained or just to take his statement, Momoh said “I don’t know for now”.
Abure has been having running battles with some members of the party in the state over allegations of substituting candidates in the 202 general election without the consent of the affected aspirants, an allegation he had denied.
It was gathered that the arrest may be connected to the factional crisis rocking the party as a factional national youth leader was recently brutalized by some suspected members of the party who did a video of themselves while the official and another person were being brutalized.
