By NEWSCOUNT Desk
Former Deputy President of the 9th Senate and NDC senatorial candidate for Delta Central, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has alleged that more than 50 armed men attacked the venue of his party’s campaign meeting in Uvwie, Delta State, early Thursday morning.
Omo-Agege said the men, allegedly led by Emmanuel Erube, the Development Committee Chairman of Jakpa, arrived at the campaign venue at about 5:30am and destroyed canopies and campaign materials prepared for the meeting.
In a statement issued from his office on Thursday, Omo-Agege alleged that the attackers also threatened to kill him and his Uvwie Campaign Coordinator, Olorogun Dr. Esere Ejifoma Atumu, if he appeared in Uvwie for the campaign event.
He described the incident as a planned attack and alleged that the perpetrators were political supporters of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
“I hold Governor Sheriff Oborevwori directly responsible and culpable for this,” Omo-Agege said, alleging that the governor had previously threatened him privately.
The former senator further alleged that the incident was evidence of what he described as “state-backed intimidation” of opposition political activities in Delta State.
He described the attack as “an act of state terrorism” and an attack on democracy, arguing that the use of political operatives to disrupt opposition activities required urgent intervention by security agencies.
Omo-Agege called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services to arrest Erube and those he described as his gang, investigate the alleged source of their funding and prosecute anyone found culpable.
He also demanded 24-hour armed protection from the Delta State Commissioner of Police for himself, Atumu, members of the NDC campaign teams and supporters across the state.
Omo-Agege further appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the United States Embassy, the European Union, African Union and civil society organisations to monitor political developments in Delta State and deploy observers and human rights monitors ahead of the elections.
“To the people of Uvwie and Delta State: Do not be afraid. Do not back down. We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. The fight for a New Delta continues,” he said.
