‘Pinnacle of Rascality’: Obi Slams Police Over Abure’s ‘Humiliating’ Arrest
The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the “humiliating” detention of the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure.
Obi revealed in a series of posts on X (previously Twitter) how Abure was detained in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, on Wednesday afternoon.
As LP supporters struggled to prevent Abure’s detention, viral footage emerged depicting police officers mistreating Abure.
According to the police, Abure was arrested for attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, and other charges. The LP chairman was later released on bail early Thursday following a protest by LP members who stormed the Zone 5 headquarters in Edo.
Obi stated on social media, “My attitude on this topic remains steadfast, but that does not explain the heartbreaking image of our national chairman lying on the ground under the name of arrest.”
“This act is unwanted, humiliating, and absolutely intolerable, and it must be rejected by any good and civilised mind in the light of Nigeria’s current civic scene.
“These despicable deeds represent the epitome of rascality and serve to egregiously damage our country’s already lamentable reputation for lawlessness.
“Such behaviour must not only be condemned, but also aggressively addressed in order to safeguard the principles of fairness and respect for the dignity of the individual in our society.”
The former governor of Anambra State stated that while “constitutional authorities must be allowed to execute their statutory functions, officers must adhere to due process, civility, decency, and established arrest procedures, embody civility, decorum, respect for the dignity and rights of citizens, and, above all, the presumption of innocence before the law.”
“It is critical to highlight that as a Labour Party leader, Mr. Abure represents the face of political opposition in Nigeria, both personally and statutorily, as the LP’s current Chairman. Most significantly, political parties are institutions of democratic statehood and, as such, deserve to be respected.
“It is critical to emphasise that no excuse or deception should be used to silence Nigeria’s political opposition. As a result, I recommend that he be granted bail based on his status while the investigation into his alleged offence continues,” Obi added.