Labour Party governorship primaries in Edo, the Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, has been arrested by the police in Benin, Edo State capital.
Abure’s arrest comes two days after Labour Party state chairmen passed a vote of confidence in him amid allegation of financial impropriety levelled against him by the party’s suspended treasurer, Mrs Oluchi Oprah.
Mrs. Oprah had accused Abure of misappropriating over N3 billion out of the N3.5 billion raised for the 2023 election campaigns.
In what looks like a chaotic scene, police officers stormed Abure’s residence and forcefully arrested him amid protest by supporters.
According to some party loyalists, the order to arrest Abure came from Abuja and was effected by police and Department of State Services (DSS).
The reason for Abure’s arrest, according to party officials, was to destabilise the Labour Party ahead of the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election.
There are also reports that the arrest followed a petition by the LP Youth Leader, Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia.
BREAKING: In a dramatic turn of events today in Benin, Edo state, the Nigerian Police have apprehended Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party.
The circumstances leading to his arrest are not clear at this time, however, it is widely believed to be related to the… pic.twitter.com/LIxdVvonrf
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) February 21, 2024
