The Nigeria Police Force Zone 5 has released the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure.
Abure and others were released on bail today around 2am, a spokesman for the police zone, Tijani Momoh, told our correspondent.
Also, LP national spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed that the embattled national chairman, who was arrested by policemen in Benin City, the Edo State capital, yesterday afternoon, was released this morning.
“Julius Abure is in his hotel room here in Benin City,” Ifoh said on Channels Television.
“It’s true that he was arrested, brutalised yesterday (Wednesday) by a combined team of police and the DSS but he was released last night along with four other members of our party who were arrested with him.”
Viral videos showed Abure being manhandled by policemen, even as LP supporters fought to prevent his arrest.
‘Murder, Illegal Possession Of Firearms’
The police had said Abure was arrested for attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, and related offences.
Momoh had told newsmen that Abure and four others were arrested over a petition written against them by a petitioner whose name he did not mention.
He said an allegation of attempted murder was levelled against Abure. “There are video clips, recordings of the petitioner being assaulted, being beaten when he came home last year to conduct ward matters,” Momoh said.
“It is a case of attempted murder, conspiracy, illegal possession of arms and other related offences.
“They were also in possession of firearms; a short gun and three rounds of ammunition.”
However, Ifoh said Abure was not in any way involved in the attack of a former National Youth Leader of the party, Anslem Eragbe, in Edo State last December.
“Abure has not committed any offence. What is happening is politics,” Ifoh stated, adding that Abure’s arrest was orchestrated to distract the party’s primary in Edo State tomorrow.
The party’s spokesman also said Abure won’t step aside despite the attacks against him.
Some LP chieftains had stormed the police office in Benin City, demanding the release of Abure, even as they said no form of intimidation will slow down the party’s forthcoming Edo State governorship primary.
Internal Wrangling
The party’s national chairman has been embroiled in a crisis with the party’s suspended National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, who accused Abure of financial malfeasance, forgery and embezzlement of the party’s funds realised during the 2023 presidential election.
Abure and the party had denied the allegations even as Opara insisted that the national chairman should account for both naira and dollar donations to the party in the last poll.
LP presidential candidate in the last poll, Peter Obi, had said external auditors would probe the party’s financial books.
Last week, the Labour Party suspended Opara for six months, saying contrary to allegations of abuse levelled against the leadership of the party by Opara, the party only realised N1.2 billion from donation from members and sales of forms to some aspirants in the 2023 polls.
The party alleged that Opara was being sponsored by the same people who used Lamidi Apapa, Anslem Eragbe, and Yomi Arabambi to derail the party.
