Rex Ogboru Condemns Destruction of Campaign Banners, Urges Security Agencies to Act

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Abraka State Constituency, Hon. Rex E. Ogboru, has condemned the reported destruction of his campaign banners at Uhroka and Agbara Junction in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, urging security agencies to investigate the incidents and prosecute anyone found responsible.

In a statement issued amid growing political activities in the newly restored constituency, Ogboru said his campaign received a report in the early hours of Friday that one of its banners mounted at Uhroka had been destroyed.

He said the incident was allegedly linked to a person identified as Obada, whom the campaign said was believed to be an APC member.

Ogboru added that another report was received later in the day concerning the destruction of a second campaign banner at Agbara Junction, close to the Old Road, allegedly by suspected thugs.

The NDC candidate, however, did not present the allegations as established facts, instead calling on the appropriate security authorities to investigate and determine those responsible.

He described the reported incidents as acts of intimidation and destruction of campaign materials and urged the security agencies to act without regard to the political affiliation of anyone who may be implicated.

“We strongly condemn these acts of intimidation and destruction of campaign materials. We call on the security agencies to investigate these incidents thoroughly and take appropriate action against anyone found responsible, irrespective of political affiliation,” Ogboru said.

He stressed that his campaign would not respond to provocation with violence, maintaining that political competition should be based on ideas, policies and the ability of candidates to serve the electorate.

“We are a peaceful political party. We do not believe in violence, intimidation or political harassment,” he said.

Ogboru also appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders in Abraka to intervene by encouraging political actors and their supporters to maintain peace and decorum throughout the electioneering period.

According to him, the political contest should not create an atmosphere in which residents feel threatened or intimidated.

“Nobody has a monopoly on violence, and nobody owns Abraka more than another person. Abraka belongs to all of us,” he said.

Calls for Peace Across Abraka

The latest appeal comes against the background of several calls by political and community stakeholders for peaceful political engagement in Abraka as competition intensifies following the restoration of the Abraka State Constituency.

The APC candidate for the constituency, Hon. Felix Ejovwoke Erhimedafe, popularly known as Ibani, also called for an issue-based campaign when political activities began in the constituency.

Erhimedafe urged his supporters and other political actors to avoid personal attacks, inflammatory statements and divisive rhetoric, saying political differences should not be allowed to threaten the peace and unity of the constituency. He said campaigns should focus on issues, ideas and practical solutions to the challenges confronting residents.

Similarly, prominent Abraka community leader Chief Harrison Jessa has repeatedly appealed for unity among political stakeholders following the restoration of the constituency.

Jessa previously urged political leaders and stakeholders to place unity above personal interests and work towards an arrangement that would promote fairness and inclusion between the two Abraka kingdoms and the political wards.

Following the APC primary, he again appealed for unity, sportsmanship and a shared commitment to Abraka’s development.

At the wider Ethiope Federal Constituency level, political stakeholders have also publicly emphasised unity and reconciliation. APC leaders from Ethiope East and Ethiope West, during meetings held in 2026, stressed the importance of cohesion and grassroots cooperation ahead of the 2027 elections.

National Peace Accord Sets Wider Context

The appeals in Abraka also come within a broader national push for peaceful electioneering ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On August 18, 2026, presidential candidates and representatives of major political parties participated in the signing of the National Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee.

The event brought together political leaders, INEC officials and other stakeholders, with the accord committing participants to peaceful and issue-based campaigns. Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, was among the presidential candidates reported to have signed the accord.

The National Peace Committee, chaired by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has continued to promote commitments against electoral violence, while INEC has repeatedly called on candidates, supporters and voters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral cycle.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had earlier stressed that election security requires cooperation among political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders.

The Nigeria Police Force has similarly warned political parties, candidates and supporters against violence, intimidation and thuggery, stating that persons involved in electoral offences would be dealt with according to law regardless of political affiliation.

Nigeria Police Force

Abraka’s Security Concerns
The calls for restraint assume particular significance in Abraka because the community has experienced recurring security challenges in recent times.

In April 2026, the Delta State Police Command confirmed that operatives of the Abraka Division, working with local vigilantes and hunters, rescued a kidnapping victim who had been abducted from a residence at Denedo Extension. The victim was reportedly found along a railway corridor after the suspects fled as security operatives closed in.

In July, the police also reported operations against suspected criminal and drug-related activities in parts of Abraka. During one operation, weapons were recovered, while another police operation in the Abraka axis resulted in arrests connected to suspected criminal activities.

More recently, in September, the Delta State Police Command said it arrested eight suspects during an operation in Abraka linked to an investigation into attempted murder and other criminal activities. The police said three locally made pistols and suspected illicit drugs were recovered during the operation.

Residents have also previously raised concerns over kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities in the university town, calling for stronger security presence and improved intelligence gathering.

These developments make the emergence of political violence or intimidation during the campaign period a particularly sensitive issue, as incidents involving political supporters could add another layer of tension to an area already dealing with security concerns.

Appeal for Restraint

The destruction of campaign materials, if established through investigation, would therefore raise concerns beyond the immediate political dispute, particularly if such incidents become a pattern involving rival parties.

Ogboru said his campaign would not be intimidated or distracted by the reported incidents and would continue to engage residents peacefully.

He said the objective of his campaign was to present a programme centred on qualitative representation, accountability, development and the welfare of the people.

He therefore called on all candidates, supporters and political organisations to compete through ideas rather than destruction.
“Let us compete with ideas, not destruction,” he said.

The latest development places renewed responsibility on political parties, candidates, community leaders, traditional rulers and security agencies to ensure that political competition in the restored Abraka constituency does not degenerate into confrontation.

With Abraka’s State Constituency restoration bringing renewed political competition and heightened public interest, stakeholders are now faced with the task of ensuring that the opportunity for direct representation is not undermined by intimidation, violence or criminality.

The immediate responsibility, therefore, remains with the security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported destruction of the two campaign banners and determine whether any criminal offence was committed, while political actors and their supporters are expected to exercise restraint pending the outcome of any investigation.

Ogboru’s statement concluded: “Victory for Nigeria. Victory for Delta. Victory for Abraka.”