BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Police in Edo State have apprehended two persons for allegedly impersonating the Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in the State, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi.
The suspects were identified as Mr. John Okugbe former Youths leader of Labour Party in Etsako-West local government area and one Mr. Elema.
They were alleged to have been parading themselves as officials of LP in the state and claimed to be from the same local government with the party national Chairman whereas, they are not.
John Okugbe was also alleged to have recently installed himself as acting Chairman of Labour Party in Edo State even when he is fully aware of a subsisting authority of the party in the state.
It was learnt that the duo were picked up last Tuesday when investigators acted on a petition by the state officials of LP.
However, the unusual presence of the LP stated Chairman and his entourage at the police headquarters in Benin attracted the curiosity of our correspondent who approached Comrade Ogbaloi to find out reasons for his visit.
“Recently, John Okugbe installed himself as an acting Chairman of the party in the state. You’re aware that where there is a subsisting institution of authority and you try to superimpose yours, it is a call to anarchy, it is criminal and that must not be allowed in our society.
“So we went to the police and again stated that there is going to be a breach of the peace because they summarised their action with that they were coming to Edo State to inaugurate themselves into the various offices when there is a subsisting authority of the party in the state.
“So we wrote to the police in addition to the various petitions we have written to say again, these ones are not relenting and we asked that you once again look into their activities with a view to ensuring that the peace already in our party and Edo State is not breached, that is why we are here”, Comrade Ogbaloi told our correspondent at the police headquarters in Benin.
Thereafter, the two suspects were seen writing their separate statements inside the General Investigation’s office at the Edo State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Police Command headquarters, Benin City about 4:16p.m, Tuesday, September 26.
A few hours later, one of the alleged impostors was seen leaving the police Command headquarters.
He, however, declined comments when our correspondent sought his response to their arrest.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that the suspects were released and asked to report back on Friday with all the parties involved.
