BREAKING: Protest Erupts in Benin As Police Arrest Labour Party Chair, Julius Abure, Video Emerges

• Several Labour Party (LP) chieftains have defended their embattled national chairman, Julius Abure, following his arrest by security operatives
• Legit.ng reports that Abure was arrested in Benin City, Edo state, on Wednesday afternoon, February 21
• In a press statement, the national publicity secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said Abure's arrest was connected to the LP's primary election ahead of the Edo state governorship election slated for September 2024

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics

Benin City, Edo state - Protesters on Wednesday, February 21, besieged the Zone 5 headquarters of the police command in Benin city, Edo state, over the arrest of the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure.

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Also arrested was the state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi.

In a statement signed by Obiora Ifoh, the LP's spokesperson, the opposition party said its supporters are displeased with the arrest of Abure.

LP lamented that Abure, Ogbaloi and their aides were manhandled.

Furthermore, LP said a police source informed it that Abure's arrest was in connection to a protest letter by one of the expelled members of the party loyal to the Lamidi Apapa faction.

The LP said:

"The arrest was to frustrate the primary process (which would be conducted soon) and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election."

Watch a video of Abure's supporters protesting below, courtesy of TVC News:

Legit.ng reports that factional chairpersons of the LP, Apapa and Abure, are in a legal duel for the party’s soul.

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Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has refused to recognise Apapa as the national chairman.

The party's crisis which started before the February 2023 election, has not abated.

Read more about Julius Abure:

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'Why we arrested Abure', police open up

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said Abure was arrested for attempted murder illegal possession of firearms, and related offences.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian police, Zone 5, Tijani Momoh, disclosed that Abure was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, February 21, in Benin City, the Edo state capital.

The police official noted that Abure and four others were arrested over a petition written against them by a petitioner whose name he did not mention.

Source: Legit.ng