From Tony Osauzo, Benin and Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has expressed dissatisfaction at the manner the Police handled the arrest of the party’s National Chairman, Mr Julius Abure, on Wednesday, saying it was distasteful and humiliating.
Abure who was arrested with five others by operatives of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State, over allegations bordering on attempted murder, conspiracy, brutal assault, armed robbery, grievous harm and conduct likely to cause breach of peace, was released around 3.05 am yesterday.
Spokesman of Zone 5, Tijani Momoh, had late Wednesday night told newsmen that the police did not assault the LP national chairman in the process of arresting him. He said some persons tried to prevent Abure’s arrest, which led to an altercation between them and police operatives.
Reacting via his X handle on Thursday, Obi condemned the manhandling of Abure in the arrest process, adding that such behaviours represent the height of irresponsibility and further damages the already negative image of our country as a lawless one.
He said there could have been a better way to handle the arrest of the party chieftain to “show we are … in a democracy.”
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, in Benin City, Edo.
“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 and unequivocally intolerable and must be condemned by any decent and civilized mind within the context of our present civic landscape in Nigeria.”
He described the manner of the arrest as deplorable, saying such manner of arrest must be not only denounced but also actively addressed to uphold the principles of justice and respect within our society.
“Regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr Abure’s arrest, it is crucial to emphasise that while constitutional authorities must be allowed to execute their statutory functions, officers must adhere to due process and established arrest procedures.
“The officers must embody civility, decorum, respect for the dignity and rights of citizens, and, above all, the presumption of innocence.
“It is crucial to emphasise 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,” Obi said.
Speaking to supporters at the AIG Zone 5 headquarters shortly after his release, Abure said what he suffered was peculiar to what other freedom fighters suffer all over the world. He disclosed that his release by the police was effected by pressure mounted on the police from some quarters which he did not name, adding that assurances were given that the state chairman, state publicity secretary and other arrested alongside with him would be released in the early hours of yesterday.
Abure berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for making life unbearable for Nigerians revealing that since the February 2023 general elections, detractors of the LP had not relented in instigating crises within the party, as several petitions bothering on frivolous accusations had been written against him.
Notwithstanding, he promised that neither he, nor the party, would be deterred from pursuing the goals of the party.