The spokesman for Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, has claimed that the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, was arrested on Wednesday, over a petition written against him by a faction of the party.

Ifoh made this known in a statement released hours after Abure and Edo chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, were arrested in Benin, the state capital.

He revealed that they were picked up following a meeting with a team of Department of State Services (DSS) and police officers.

Ifoh said, “The Labour Party on Tuesday had a very successful delegate election in Benin ahead of the party lrimaries scheduled to hold on Friday. The party chairman only this morning along with party governorship aspirants also kept a scheduled security briefing with the Department of State Services. Abure was however arrested after the meeting by a combined team of DSS and police officers. Abure, Ogbaloi and their aides were also manhandled.

“However, a police source informed the party officials and other governorship aspirants at the gate of the police headquarters that the arrest was in connection to a protest letter by one of the expelled members of the party loyal to Apapa dissident camp.

“The source also confirmed that the arrest was not unconnected to the ongoing party primary and the possible candidate that will emerge which the state government is opposed to. He informed us that the arrest was to frustrate the primary process and possibly interrupt the party’s participation in the governorship election.”