Former National Chairman of the Labour Party Julius Abure has condemned what he described as a violent and unlawful invasion of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. Abure accused the Abia State Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu and the Senator Nenadi Usman led faction of orchestrating the takeover of the party’s Utako headquarters.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the factional National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh. According to the statement the invasion occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when unidentified persons allegedly stormed the secretariat around 1 am.
Ifoh claimed that Labour Party billboards bearing the images of Abure and his executives were removed and replaced with those of Senator Nenadi Usman. He further alleged that the operation was carried out with a heavy police presence.
According to him eight truckloads of policemen allegedly accompanied the Nenadi faction denying party officers and staff access to the premises while allowing only members of the interim leadership into the secretariat. He also alleged that hoodlums broke into offices and carted away files and other valuable materials.
Ifoh said senior party officials who arrived later in the morning were prevented from entering the premises by security personnel. He added that the Abure faction chose not to resist the action in order to avoid violence and maintain peace.
While acknowledging a Federal High Court judgment recognising Nenadi Usman as interim chairman the Abure faction maintained that the ruling was under appeal and that a stay of execution had been obtained. The faction argued that resorting to force despite the legal process amounted to self help.
The statement called on the police the Department of State Services and other security agencies to intervene warning that failure to address the situation could threaten democratic institutions. Party members were also urged to remain calm and law abiding as legal remedies are pursued.
Meanwhile there was a heavy security presence at the secretariat as the Nenadi Usman led faction confirmed taking over the premises following INEC recognition based on the court order.
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