Police Vacate Imo Labour Party Secretariat

The police have unlocked the Imo State Secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) in Owerri, the state capital.

When LEADERSHIP visited the office yesterday the police operatives who took over the secretariat on Monday after sealing it had left the premises. It was also observed that staff at the secretariat had regained access into the office.

A stalwart of the party who does not want his name mentioned also confirmed that the secretariat had been unsealed.

The national secretary of the LP, Umar Farouk, had on Monday in a statement accused the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, of conniving with police to seal the secretariat.

In the statement Farouk said, “The national leadership of the Labour Party is shocked over the invasion and occupation of its secretariat in Owerri, today, Monday April 3, 2023 by the agents of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, including thugs and unauthorized police men drafted from the Government House.

“Such illegal occupation was akin to similar invasion on the same Secretariat on Wednesday March 15, 2023.

“Unlike the March invasion, where no reason was given by the state government on why it took such unlawful action against our political party, this time, they said that the action was due to a court order.

“But as at the moment, no such order to our knowledge was given. No order has been presented to us by the court or their agents. The policemen presently occupying our secretariat have not even shown us the order. At the moment, all our officials and staff have been barred from accessing the secretariat.

“We have contacted the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the ongoing development in the state, and it has been confirmed that the Force is not aware of any security breach whatsoever in the state to warrant the occupation of our secretariat.

“The police have also informed us that it has not detailed any of their officers and men to the Labour Party Secretariat in Imo State; and that the officers may have been drafted from the State House in the state.”