Labour Party (LP) has confirmed the arrest of its National Chairman, Julius Abure.
Gatekeepers News reports that LP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh on Wednesday, alleged that the police and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Abure.
Ifoh said Abure was arrested alongside the LP chairman in Edo state, Kelly Ogbaloi.
According to the LP National Publicity Secretary, Abure and Ogbaloi were allegedly arrested over a protest letter by an expelled member of the party loyal to the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the party.
Ifoh 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.
“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.
“He informed that the arrest was to frustrate the primary process and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election.”
In a video circulating on social media, armed men dressed in police uniforms could be seen attempting to arrest Abure.
