- Party Says Abure Escapes Assassination As Mysterious Fire Guts House
- Says It Took Divine Intervention To Rescue Embattled National Chairman, Family
- His Condition, That Of Family Members Stable After Horrifying Experience-LP
The crisis rocking the Labour Party assumed a worrying dimension on Wednesday as the party alleged that its embattled National Chairman recently escaped an assassination attempt on his life after a ‘mysterious fire’ broke out at his residence in Abuja.
The party disclosed that it took divine intervention to rescue the chairman and his family members from the raging inferno that engulfed the house.
The Matrix reports that Abure and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have been embroiled in tussle for the soul of the Labour Party in recent times.
The NLC, under the leadership of Joe Ajaero, had recently picketed LP state offices nationwide in an attempt to force Abure out.
The labour congress is claiming the ownership of the party and has kicked against the national convention that threw up Abure as the national chairman of the party for the second time.
Incidentally, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi was conspicuously absent at the national convention that produced Abure for a second stint as the party’s chairman further lending credence to the report of a huge rift between the party.
At the convention of the party that took place on March 27 in Nnewi, Abure was re-elected as the National Chairman for a second term by a unanimous affirmation of delegates despite strong opposition by NLC.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also said none of its officials monitored the convention while the party’s Board of Trustees insisted that Abure’s tenure had expired.
READ ALSO: Former NLC President, Ayuba Wabba Fires Back At Abure, Says Congress Owns Labour Party
Before the controversial convention, the NLC had called for Abure’s resignation as party chairman and the immediate constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention for the party.
Amid the ongoing crisis rocking the party, the allegation of the assassination attempt on Abure throws the crisis into a different and more worrisome perspective.
The allegation was levelled by the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh in a statement on Wednesday.
Hear her; “The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, early this morning allegedly escaped an assassination attempt on him at his Abuja residence. His residence was also gutted by a mysterious fire which started a few minutes after 1 am while Abure and the members of his family were asleep.
“According to a member of the family, who narrated the incident, the family was woken up by neighbours and security men living in the compound who raised the alarm. The entire family was trapped as the inferno had reached the staircase, making it impossible for Abure and his family to escape.
“However, it took divine intervention for the national chairman and his family to escape after neighbours and security men gallantly pulled down one of the windows upstairs, making way for the family to escape.
“Men of the fire service arrived shortly after Abure and his family were evacuated.
“Abure and his family were rushed to a private hospital where they are presently receiving treatment. Their condition is, however, stable.”
“After escaping from the fire, thanks to what the party described as “divine intervention”, Abure and his family were rushed to a private hospital where they are presently receiving treatment, with their condition reported to be stable”.
Officials of the Fire Service were said to have arrived shortly after he and his family were evacuated.
