Julius Abure’s Arrest Reemphasizes That Nigeria Is Plagued By Lawlessness -Peter Obi

Says He Should Be Granted Bail While Investigation Continues

By Daniel Dafe

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has reacted to the arrest of the National Chairman of the party, Barrister Julius Abure.

Abure was arrested in Benin by the police on Wednesday.

Obi in a post late night on Wednesday, said: “These deplorable actions epitomize the pinnacle of rascality and serve to egregiously tarnish the already regrettable perception of our nation as one plagued by lawlessness.”

According to him, like many Nigerians, he “observed the distasteful national television news reports detailing the humiliating arrest of Abure.

He continued: “Throughout my roles as a private individual, public figure, Governor, and Presidential candidate, I consistently advocated for the paramount importance of upholding the rule of law in any sane society.

“I firmly believe that, as citizens, we are all duty-bound irrespective of our status in society to respond to invitations from properly constituted authority. My stance on this matter remains unwavering but does not explain watching the distressing image of our National Chairman lying on the ground in the name of arrest.”

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Adding: “This act is undesirable , demeaning and unequivocally intolerable and must be condemned by any decent and civilized mind within the context of our present civic landscape in Nigeria.”

“Such behaviour must not only be denounced but also actively addressed to uphold the principles of justice and respect for the dignity of the individual within our society,” he said.

Regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr. Abure’s arrest, he noted “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.”

He wrote further: “It is crucial to emphasize that as a leader within the Labour Party, Mr. Abure represents, both personally and statutorily, as the incumbent Chairman of the LP, the face of political opposition in Nigeria.

“Most importantly, political Parties are institutions of democratic statehood and ought to that extent be accorded due respect.

“It is imperative to reiterate that no pretext or subterfuge should be employed to stifle Nigeria’s political opposition.”

He thus called that he should be granted bail based on his status while the investigation of his alleged offence continues.