Onyekachi Eze ABUJA 
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, (LP) Julius Abure, has called for the security of the party’s candidates and leaders across the country, noting that LP members were constantly being put to danger.
Abure, who decried the assassination of the LP House of Assembly candidate for Onuimo constituency of Imo State, Christopher Elehu, on Friday by suspected hired killers, recalled that the party’s woman leader in Kaduna State was killed a month ago without anyone being held culpable.
According to him, the attacks were now becoming too many and worrisome, disclosing that his request for police protection has been ignored by the police high command, even when leaders and candidates of other political parties move around with detachment of police aides and escorts.
Abure, in a statement yesterday, also recalled that, “about six weeks ago, the senatorial candidate of our party in Ebonyi State was kidnapped after police took responsibility of his arrest. This was after days of his incarceration. He is now released without any charges.
“The billboards of all our candidates across the country are being pulled down and destroyed.
“There are series of attack on the party members and leaders across the country, and the mother of it all, is the murder of this our candidate in Imo State.
“We are using this opportunity to call on Mr. President, security agencies, especially the police and DSS to protect Labour Party, its leaders and members.”
He stated that election was not a do or die affair, and called for a level playing field for all political parties.
Abure urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure the protection of opposition party members.
“As at today, a lot of our candidates have no police protection, even me as the National Chairman. All my applications to have police that was approved, yet none has been drafted to me.
“As the Chairman of one of the most popular political parties, I still do not have security assigned to me. Our officers are exposed; our members are exposed and with the high level of insecurity now, we have become very vulnerable.
“So, we are calling on the president to use his good office, as well as security agencies to secure Labour Party, all its candidates, party members and supporters so that we can have a hitch-free election.
“This is important because with the series of attack on the Labour Party members, it shows that there might never be a hitch-free election. It is a serious threat to democracy.
“Democracy offers the citizens the opportunity to make choices and vote for candidates of their choice. So, when they are being harassed, their leaders being killed, viable contestants being killed, including their supporters, it means that democracy is under threat.
“Those in government swore to uphold the constitution. I therefore call on those in government to provide security across board, so that our democracy will not be in jeopardy.
“It would not be in the interest of anyone, particularly those who will be in government tomorrow to allow the democracy to be threatened,” he warned.
