UPDATED: 48 Hours To Edo LP Gov’ship Primaries, Police Arrest National Chairman Over Petition

Less than 48 hours to the conduct of the Labour Party (LP) governorship primary election in Edo State slated for Friday, the embattled National Chairman of the party, Barr. Julius Abure, has been arrested by a team of stern-looking armed policemen in Benin City, the state capital, on Wednesday.

His arrest came after Tuesday’s vote of confidence passed on him by the state chairmen of Labour Party.

LEADERSHIP reports that Abure faces allegations of embezzling about N3billion of party funds realised as donations for the 2023 electioneering campaign.

As at the time of this report, Abure was being questioned by investigators at the Zone 5 office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in Benin City, as a large crowd of LP faithful besieged the police zonal headquarters.

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The exact cause of arrest could not be ascertained but credible sources said it may not be unconnected to sundry allegations against Abure by a petitioner.

There was a blockage at the Police zonal headquarters where Abure was being held and journalists were also prevented from gaining access into the premises.

However, confirming the arrest, Police Zonal Public Relations Officer, Tijani Momoh, said: “there is a standing order for now that nobody should come in. Yes, the LP chairman is here and it has to do with petition that was referred to this office from the Inspector General of Police. But I cannot give content of the petition right now.”

When asked if he was being detained or he was there just to give his statement, Momoh said: “I don’t know for now.”

Earlier, a video of arrest scene surfaced on the social media with Abure seen seated on a bare floor apparently resisting arrest before he was eventually whisked away in a vehicle by the policemen.

LEADERSHIP reports that just last week, the National Treasurer of the LP, Mrs Oluchi Oprah, had accused Abure of misappropriating over N3 billion party funds out of the N3.5 billion raised for the 2023 election campaigns, an allegation Abure had debunked and said some members of the party were being sponsored to destabilise the Labour Party.

Abure has been having a running battle with some LP stakeholders, including aspirants and members of the party, who accused him of forgery and substitution of party candidates.