LP crisis: Tell your men to maintain professionalism, neutrality – Abure petitions IGP
The Barrister Julius Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun over what it described as the “unlawful and biased” role of the Nigeria Police Force in the recent invasion and occupation of the party’s National Secretariat in Utako, Abuja.
The leadership asked the IGP to order his men especially, those serving in the Area Command Life Camp, to maintain professionalism and neutrality in the discharge of their responsibility to the Country.
The party’s Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, in a strong-worded statement on Friday accused the police of taking sides with a faction led by Nenadi Usman, while denying the recognised leadership access to its offices.
“For the past one year, there have been all manner of threats by some disgruntled elements in the party to picket, invade and occupy the National Secretariat.
“These threats were coming from the Abia State Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and recently, the illegal Interim National Working Committee,” Olorunfemi said.
He alleged that the latest invasion occurred around 1a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, when “hoodlums scaled into the party compound to pull down party billboards and replaced them with those of Nenadi Usman.”
According to the statement, police officers from Area Command, Life Camp, later barricaded the secretariat and prevented the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, and other officials from entering the premises.
“To our chagrin, police officers barricaded the entrance gate and prevented our National Chairman, National Secretary and other officers from entering their offices, while allowing persons from a list in their possession, including Senator Nenadi Usman, to access the premises,” Olorunfemi said.
The party further claimed that despite assurances from the Area Commander that neutrality would be maintained, a larger contingent of police returned the following day.
“We are dismayed to find a larger contingent of police officers who barricaded the premises but permitted certain individuals from a faction to enter to hoist the banners of a so-called Caretaker Chairman,” the statement added.
Reacting to claims by Usman that hoodlums were arrested in the secretariat, the party dismissed the allegation as “laughable and disgusting.”
“We challenge the police to produce the hoodlums allegedly arrested.
“The truth is that only three persons were arrested: our FCT State Secretary who lives in the premises, and two young men who brew kunu drinks for a living,” Olorunfemi stated.
The party also accused Usman’s group of carrying out “self-help” in enforcing a court judgment, insisting that execution of the ruling had been stayed and an appeal filed.
To him, “Ordinarily, when there is a motion for stay of execution and a pending appeal, all parties are supposed to maintain status quo.
“What they did was self-help by coming to take over our office without a court order.”
The party warned of alleged plans to arrest some of its national officers, including Abure, and called on “all lovers of democracy” to resist what it described as growing impunity.
“We implore the IGP to direct his officers to maintain professionalism and neutrality in their intervention at the Labour Party National Headquarters.
“Our members should remain calm as we pursue justice through lawful means,” he added.
