PTI Effurun Violence: Omo-Agege’s Camp Accuses Delta APC Of Suppressing The Truth
LAGOS JULY 30TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The camp of former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has accused the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to suppress the truth over recent incidents of political violence, insisting that the Delta State Government itself has validated claims that party officials were attacked during a meeting at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Godwin Anaughe, the Omo-Agege camp argued that the state government’s confirmation of the attack has exposed what it described as the Delta APC’s attempt to dismiss earlier allegations as falsehood.
The statement, titled “When the Government Confirms What Delta APC Called a Lie,” accused the Delta APC of prioritising damage control over addressing the growing concerns about political violence in the state.
According to the statement, the Omo-Agege camp had earlier reported that Hon. Temple Mudi, a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, was attacked with stones, machetes and bottles during a party meeting at PTI, Effurun.
It noted that the Delta APC had responded by dismissing the allegation as “concocted,” describing it as a “theatre of the absurd” and a “desperate attempt” to gain political advantage.
However, Anaughe maintained that subsequent comments by the state government vindicated their claims.
“We said that Hon. Temple Mudi, a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, was attacked with stones, machetes, and bottles during a party meeting at PTI Effurun. In response, the Delta APC dismissed this as ‘concocted,’ labeling it a ‘theatre of the absurd’ and a ‘desperate attempt’ at political gain,” the statement read.
It continued: “By the time their statement made headlines, the state government had already confirmed that the attack occurred just as we described.”
The statement further cited remarks credited to the Commissioner for Works and Information, Charles Aniagwu, who reportedly condemned the incident and directed security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible.
According to Anaughe, the commissioner also disclosed that another government official, Comrade Reuben Izeze, the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), was equally attacked during the incident.
“On that same day, Charles Aniagwu… condemned the incident as ‘unacceptable’ and instructed security agencies to track down and prosecute those responsible. He also revealed something that Delta APC conveniently overlooked: another official, Comrade Reuben Izeze… was also attacked. So while Delta APC was busy calling us liars, their own government was busy validating our claims.”
The Omo-Agege camp argued that the incident exposed what it described as a disturbing tendency by the APC leadership in Delta State to focus on political image rather than the safety of its members.
“We’re not bringing this up to score cheap political points. We’re highlighting it because it reveals a troubling instinct within this Delta APC. When one of their own is nearly beaten to death, their first instinct isn’t to ensure his safety; it’s to manage the fallout for their image.”
Beyond the PTI incident, the statement challenged the APC’s claim that the Delta State Community Security Corps had maintained peace across the state.
It questioned how such a claim could be sustained in the wake of the attacks on party officials and what it described as other recent incidents of violence.
The statement also referenced an alleged attack involving the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chris Iyovwaye, claiming he was prevented by thugs from entering a town hall in Agholokpe.
“There’s another, quieter falsehood buried in that same statement—the assertion that the Community Security Corps has maintained peace across Delta State. Peace, just three days after their party leaders and senior government officials were violently attacked at their own meeting.”
It added: “Peace, weeks after thugs blocked the NDC’s Governorship candidate, Chris Iyovwaye, from entering the Town Hall in his own community in Agholokpe… Peace, in a month where fresh reports of kidnappings, robberies, and cult-related violence flood in daily from Delta State. If this is Delta APC’s definition of peace, then Deltans should be genuinely alarmed about what they consider chaos.”
Responding to the APC’s call for “credible evidence,” the Omo-Agege camp maintained that it had already petitioned relevant security agencies over the incidents.
According to the statement, its earlier communication had requested investigations by the Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police.
“Delta APC’s statement has the audacity to ask for ‘credible evidence’ from us and suggests we should take our claims to security agencies instead of the press. Well, we already did! Our original statement called on the Commissioner of Police, the DSS, and the Inspector-General to investigate the incidents in Effurun and Agholokpe, and we still expect that to happen.”
The statement questioned why the APC allegedly focused on attacking the messenger rather than supporting an independent investigation.
It further argued that establishing the occurrence of the attacks was only the beginning, insisting that the more important task was identifying those who allegedly financed and orchestrated the violence.
“Confirming that an attack took place is the easy part. The real issue Delta APC is skirting around is who orchestrated it and who funded it. That’s the real work ahead—it’s not just about arresting the thugs wielding machetes, but tracing the money back to whoever sent them.”
Calling for greater accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Omo-Agege camp urged the establishment of an independent investigation into the PTI and Agholokpe incidents, with oversight by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organisations.
“Delta State doesn’t need more press releases insisting that everything is fine when the actions of the state government tell a different tale. What we truly need are answers about the two attacks that happened weeks apart in PTI and Agholokpe.”
The statement added by calling on all political parties to publicly reject violence as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, warning that “anything less feels like mere political theatrics” and insisting that “Deltans have had enough of that this month.”
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