The Imo State Police Command has sealed the Labour Party secretariat located in Owerri, the state capital, on Monday.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed through a press statement issued on Monday by the national secretary of the LP Umar Farouk.
The statement read “the national leadership of the Labour Party is shocked over the invasion and occupation of its Secretariat in Owerri, today, Monday, April 3, 2023, by the agents of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, including thugs and unauthorised policemen from the government house.
“Such an illegal occupation is akin to a similar invasion on the same secretariat on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
Farouk stated that, unlike the March invasion, when the state administration provided no explanation for why it took such unlawful action against the party, this time the government stated that the action was taken in response to a court order.
“But as of the moment, no such Order to our knowledge was given. No Order has been presented to us by the court or their agents. The policemen presently occupying our secretariat have not even shown us the Order. At the moment, all our officials and staff have been barred from accessing the secretariat.
“We have contacted the office of the Inspector General of Police on the ongoing development in the state, and it has been confirmed that the Force is not aware of any security breach whatsoever in the state to warrant the occupation of our secretariat.”
He further mentioned that the police had notified the party that they had not detailed any of their officers and men to the Labour Party secretariat in Imo State, and that the officers could have been drafted from the state’s State House.
“The Labour Party however is not unmindful of the efforts of the Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma to hijack the leadership of the party in Imo state.”
Farouk advised party members throughout the state to remain calm in the face of the current provocation.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, said that the allegation was unfounded.
The governor’s spokesperson said, “The Labour Party’s allegation is unfounded. They should stop pointing fingers at the wrong place.”