There is a grand plan to stop the Labour Party (LP) from participating in this year’s governorship election in Edo State, its leaders said on Wednesday, in reaction to the arrest and humiliation of Julius Abure, its National Chairman in Benin, the Edo State capital by security operatives.
Against the backdrop of a video which emerged on the same day, where Abure was seen been dragged on the floor by security operatives said to be from the police and the Department of State Security (DSS), the party also fingered Lamidi Apapa, who is also laying claims to the leadership of the party.
Though no reason was given for the arrest, the party offered one saying it came as a result of a letter of protest written by Apapa to the authorities, on the heels of the primaries to choose its candidate for the election, adding that the aim was to prevent it from participating in the polls.
Channels Television, quoted Obiora Ifoh, spokesman of the party as saying: “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. The arrest of the party’s officials was in connection to a protest letter by one of the expelled member of the party loyal to Lamidi Apapa camp. It is to frustrate the primary process and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election.”
Only recently, Abure, had been embroiled in another crisis following an allegation of fraud in relations with the party finances, from Oluchi Opara, National Treasurer, who has since been suspended, after she directly accused the party boss of financial malfeasance, forgery and embezzlement of the party’s funds realised during the 2023 presidential election.
Abure and the party had denied the allegations even as Opara insisted that the national chairman should account for both naira and dollar donations to the party in the last poll.
LP presidential candidate in the last poll, Peter Obi, had said external auditors would probe the party’s financial books.
The LP leadership while denying any form of malfeasance denied for instance that it raised N3.5billion from donations and sales of forms for last year’s elections and accused her of being an agent of those intent on distabilising the party, especially the Apapa camp.