The arrest of Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, has been condemned by Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

 

Webteam@ipledge2nigeria had earlier reported that Abure was taken into custody on Wednesday by a group of police officers and Department of State Security (DSS) agents.

 

Abure was detained together with two other party members and state chairman Kelly Ogbaloi on charges of attempted murder and financial violations.

 

In response to the news on Wednesday night, Obi reacted and condemned the arrest via a statement.  In the statement, he called Abure’s detention deplorable, humiliating, and disgusting.

 

He declared that Abure’s mistreatment by the security services is unacceptable, categorically repugnant, and something that every reasonable person with a civilised mind would reject.

 

Obi stated that although constitutional authorities must be let to carry out their mandated duties, officers must respect established protocols for making arrests and adhere to due process and decorum.

 

He said: “Like many Nigerians, I observed the distasteful national television news reports detailing the humiliating arrest of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, earlier today in Benin City, Edo state.

 

”Throughout my roles as a private individual, public figure, Governor, and Presidential candidate, I consistently advocated for the paramount importance of upholding the rule of law in any sane society.

 

”I firmly believe that, as citizens, we are all duty-bound irrespective of our status in society to respond to invitations from properly constituted authority. My stance on this matter remains unwavering but does not explain watching the distressing image of our National Chairman lying on the ground in the name of arrest.

 

“This act is undesirable, demeaning and unequivocally intolerable and must be condemned by any decent and civilized mind within the context of our present civic landscape in Nigeria. These deplorable actions epitomize the pinnacle of rascality and serve to egregiously tarnish the already regrettable perception of our nation as one plagued by lawlessness.

 

“Such behaviour must not only be denounced but also actively addressed to uphold the principles of justice and respect for the dignity of the individual within our society.

 

“Regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr Abure’s arrest, it is crucial to emphasize that while constitutional authorities must be allowed to execute their statutory functions, officers must adhere to due process, civility, decency and established arrest procedures, embody civility, decorum, respect for the dignity and rights of citizens, and, above all, the presumption of innocence before the law.”

 

Therefore, based on Abure’s status and the ongoing investigation into his alleged conduct, Obi requested that Abure be granted bail.

 

He added: “It is crucial to emphasize that as a leader within the Labour Party, Mr Abure represents, both personally and statutorily, as the incumbent Chairman of the LP, the face of political opposition in Nigeria. Most importantly, political Parties are institutions of democratic statehood and ought to that extent be accorded due respect.

 

“It is imperative to reiterate that no pretext or subterfuge should be employed to stifle Nigeria’s political opposition. Therefore, I urge that he should be granted bail based on his status while the investigation of his alleged offence continues.”