About five Security operatives were seen stationed around the Imo state labour party secretariat located along Wethedral Road in Owerri, hours after it was unsealed on Monday.

Vanguard visited the secretariat and found that the offices were open as party officers and leaders seen in and around the premises of the secretariat.

The officers were armed. Standing on both sides of the buildings. However, party officers and leaders have commenced their activities. It was not out of it to say there is still tension.

A source from the party said: “They are to safeguard the property. You know there is still tension. We are on top of the game. Nothing is happening we are in control.”

It should be recalled that on Monday the National leadership of the Labour Party, LP, alleged that its party Secretariat in Owerri, Imo state has been invaded and occupied by the police and agents loyal to Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri, by the National Secretary of the

Labour Party, Mallam Umar Farouk.

The party said it was part of Uzodimma’s plot to install a governorship candidate in the labour party and control the LP leadership in Imo.

According to them, “The national leadership of the Labour Party is shocked over the Invasion and Occupation, the action of its Secretariat in Owerri, today, Monday, April 3, 2023, by the agents of Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, including thugs and unauthorized policemen drafted fa from the government house.

“Such illegal occupation was akin to a similar invasion on the same Secretariat on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Unlike the March invasion, where no reason was given by the state government on why it took such unlawful action against our political party, this time, they said that the action was due to a Court Order.

“But as at the moment, no such Order to our knowledge was given. No Order has been presented to us by the court or its 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 (IGP) 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.

“The Police have also informed us that it has not detailed any of their officers and men to the Labour Party Secretariat in Imo state; and that the officers may have been drafted from the State House in the state.”

“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.

“These actions have confirmed the information available to us of plots by the governor to plant some surrogates wearing the garments of aspirants in the party. This game plan, as archaic as it seems, has been detected and punctured, the consequences being the aggression unleashed on the party by the state government,” he said. (Vanguard)

•Unsealed Imo state labour party secretariat

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