Edo 2024: Protest erupts in Benin as DSS, Police arrests LP Natl Chairman, Abure, two days to primaries

Chigozie Ikpo, Abuja

Heavy crowd of protesters on Wednesday besieged the Zone 5 headquarters of the Police Command in Benin City over the arrest of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure.

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

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.

Efforts 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.

The Deputy National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Ayo Olurunfemi in video post said that no form of intimidation from the highest quarters can stop the party from concluding the process leading to the emergence of the Labour Party government in the state.

“We were shocked this morning that here in Edo State where we are preparing for our Governorship Primaries, we heard that the DSS in collaboration with the Nigerian Police arrested our Chairman.

“It is obvious that Labour Party controls Edo and that is why they are doing what they are doing now to ensure that the party does not emerge and takeover governance in the state but whether they like it or not, Edo is Labour” he said