Dare Babalola
The Labour Party (LP) has accused Abia State Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, Senator Nenadi Usman, and others of forcefully breaking into the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja and stealing valuables.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the invasion aided by eight Truck-load of Policemen, refused entrance officers and staff of the party and ensuring only names of members of Nenadi Interim leadership were given access into the Secretariat.
The faction said security personnel at the Secretariat confirmed that hoodlums invaded the Secretariat around 1am early on Tuesday to pull down Labour Party’s billboards and replaced them with that of the Nenadi Usman.
“The Abure led leadership is dumbfounded by the invasion of its secretariat by Nenadi camp aided by Police in the early hours of Tuesday. Accompanied by the Abia state deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, Senator Nenadi ordered his hoodlums to break into all the offices, and carted files and other materials alongside.
“When some of our senior officials came to office in the morning, we were prevented by the Police. We refused to confront them to avoid clashes and confrontations, choosing peaceful approach,” the statement read partly.
Ifoh continued, “It is on record that a Federal High Court in FCT gave a judgement which recognized Senator Usman as the Interim Chairman of the Labour Party. However, the party leadership has obtained a Stay of Execution and has since appealed the judgement. It is therefore inappropriate and needless for any group to resort to self-help by illegally breaking into the National Secretariat.
“We are by this statement calling on the Police, Department of State Security, office of the National Security Adviser and other relevant agencies to take note of the unlawful invasion of our party Secretariat. If this anomaly is not checked, it is a pointer that our democracy and its institutions are being threatened. We are also calling on our party faithfuls to remain vigilant as the party leadership is doing everything within the law to ensure that justice is not denied the party.”
