The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has dismissed allegations made by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, linking the party to recent incidents of political violence in the state, describing the claims as false, malicious and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, Esq., the party accused Senator Omo-Agege of attempting to exploit the recent incident at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, to gain political advantage through what it described as “baseless allegations.”
The APC said it was “utterly dismayed” by a press statement issued by Omo-Agege’s Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Mr. Godwin Anaughe, alleging that the ruling party was behind acts of political violence in the state.
The party rejected claims that it sponsored thugs to disrupt the visit of the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Chris Iyovwaye, to his Aghalokpe community, insisting that the allegation was entirely unfounded.
“We find it absolutely absurd that Senator Omo-Agege has sought to link the PTI incident with the entirely unsubstantiated claim that the APC sponsored thugs to prevent the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Chris Iyovwaye, from visiting his Aghalokpe community,” the statement said.
According to the APC, the allegation was “completely false and disgraceful” and represented “a new low for a man who once occupied the exalted office of Deputy President of the Senate.”
The party maintained that it remains committed to democratic principles and the rule of law, stressing that it neither condones nor encourages violence.
“Delta APC wishes to state unequivocally that it is a law-abiding democratic party founded on the principles of constitutional governance with an unwavering respect for the rule of law. We neither condone nor encourage violence in any form,” Onojeghuo stated.
The APC also insisted that the Delta Central APC leaders and stakeholders’ meeting held at the PTI Conference Centre was conducted peacefully and had no connection with the reported violence.
“That meeting was conducted peacefully from start to finish and was broadcast live by ARISE Television and TVC News for all Nigerians to see. Any attempt to associate the incident with the APC meeting is a deliberate act of mischief intended to whip up unwarranted public sentiment and malign our party,” the statement added.
The party further faulted Omo-Agege’s allegation that it was planning a coordinated campaign of violence ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the claim as reckless and capable of creating unnecessary tension.
It challenged the former senator to present any evidence of wrongdoing to security agencies instead of making public accusations.
“If Senator Omo-Agege possesses credible evidence to support these claims, he should present it to the appropriate security agencies instead of resorting to media trials designed to inflame passions and mislead the public,” the APC said.
While welcoming what it described as a comprehensive and impartial investigation into every reported incident of violence, including the events at the PTI Conference Centre, the APC expressed confidence that such investigations would establish the facts.
The party urged Deltans not to be swayed by what it termed a campaign of misinformation, maintaining that the state had continued to enjoy relative peace and development under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration.
The APC also called on all political actors to exercise restraint, promote peaceful democratic engagement and allow security agencies to perform their constitutional duties without interference as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
