The Labour Party (LP) crisis escalated on Friday when factional national chairman, Julius Abure, was physically assaulted at the Benin Airport in Edo State.
According to a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the Abure-led faction, Obiora Ifoh, the incident occurred when a woman identified as Precious Oruche, popularly known as Mama P, accosted Abure while boarding a Max Air flight from Abuja to Benin.
Ifoh stated that the confrontation began at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where Oruche confronted Abure in the boarding queue.
“She continued the assault throughout the flight despite interventions by flight attendants to calm her down,” Ifoh alleged.
The drama reportedly escalated upon arrival at Benin Airport, where Oruche allegedly attempted to lunge at Abure again before security operatives whisked him away and handed the suspect over to the police.
The LP spokesman further alleged that Oruche, described as a content creator and member of a “known political family,” had boasted in one of her online videos that she was untouchable due to her connections in the police hierarchy.
According to Ifoh, she allegedly vowed to continue targeting Abure and other party executives because, in her words, “you have killed Labour Party and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party.”
Condemning the incident, Ifoh described it as a “suicidal aggression” against the party’s leadership.
He added, “The leadership of the Labour Party is completely troubled with this cyber bullying and the consequences of the action of this political agent on the party. We are by this statement calling on the Inspector General of Police to thoroughly investigate this aggression against the leadership of the Labour Party and Barrister Julius Abure in particular.”
He stressed that the attack was a deliberate attempt by anti-democratic forces to destabilise the party, urging members to remain calm while police authorities handle the matter.
