By Abiola Olawale
Violence reportedly erupted in Benin City, Edo State on Monday as some suspected thugs stormed the secretariat of the Labour Party in the state.
The suspected thugs were reported to have stormed the secretariat to demand the continued stay of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure, who was purportedly suspended last week.
The hoodlums, numbering about 20 were reportedly armed with sticks and other dangerous objects and were battle-ready to fight anyone stopping them.
This caused pandemonium as several residents or road users of the area took to their heels for safety.
The situation was, however, doused after security operatives intervened and appealed for calm on both sides.
The New Diplomat reports that the Labour Party has been witnessing a crisis over the past few months.
While things seem to have died down for a while, the situation took another dramatic turn last week when Abure was purportedly suspended on Friday by his Ward in the Arue-Uromi area of Esan North-East Local Government in Edo State for alleged high-handedness and anti-party activities.
A letter of the purported suspension dated May 14, 2024, and another letter of ratification dated May 15, 2024, both of which were ratified at a meeting of the state executive committee on Friday night in Benin, stated that the suspension was with immediate effect.
However, the National Working Committee of the party kicked against the action, which it declared as illegal and unconstitutional.
