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ABUJA — The Deputy President of the Ninth Senate and Delta Central senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has raised the alarm over an alleged assassination plot against him, following an early-morning attack on an NDC campaign meeting venue in Uvwie, Delta State.

Omo-Agege alleged that more than 50 armed men led by Emmanuel Erube, whom he identified as the Disciplinary Committee Chairman of the Jakpa political group, stormed the venue at about 5:30 a.m. on August 19, 2026, and destroyed campaign infrastructure.

According to the former senator, the attackers allegedly pulled down canopies and destroyed campaign materials prepared for the meeting before issuing threats against him and the NDC Uvwie Campaign Coordinator, Olorogun Dr. Esere Ejifoma Atumu.

Omo-Agege described the incident as a deliberate act of political violence, alleging that the attackers warned that he and Atumu would be killed if he appeared at the Uvwie event.

The NDC candidate, in a statement issued from his office, said the incident vindicated his earlier warnings that political violence was escalating in Delta State.

He went further to directly accuse Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of responsibility, alleging that the governor had privately threatened his life.

“I hold Governor Sheriff Oborevwori directly responsible and culpable for this,” Omo-Agege said, alleging that the governor had told several people that he would have him killed because he was the Chief Security Officer of the state.

The former Senate Deputy President described the alleged attack as “state terrorism” and an assault on democratic freedoms, arguing that political violence must not be allowed to become an instrument for silencing opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections.

He alleged that the men involved were political operatives linked to the government, insisting that the alleged attack could not be dismissed as an isolated clash between political groups.

“When you use named political operatives to carry out violence, the fingerprints lead straight back to Government House, Asaba,” he alleged.

Omo-Agege called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately arrest Erube and other members of the alleged gang and investigate the source of their funding.

He also demanded that the Delta State Commissioner of Police provide round-the-clock armed protection for him, Atumu, NDC campaign teams and supporters across the state.

The NDC candidate further appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the United States Embassy, European Union, African Union and civil society organisations to closely monitor political developments in Delta State and deploy observers and human rights monitors ahead of the elections.

Omo-Agege urged his supporters and residents of Uvwie not to be intimidated by the alleged attack, declaring that his political campaign would continue despite the threats.

“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.

He warned that the alleged escalation of political violence could have grave consequences if left unchecked, stressing that those responsible for any loss of life must be held accountable.

“The world is watching. And history will remember who spilled human blood in the name of politics in Delta State,” Omo-Agege added.

The allegations contained in the statement had not been independently verified at the time of filing this report, while there was no immediate response from Governor Oborevwori or the other persons accused by Omo-Agege.

Find below full text of Senator Omo-Agege’s press statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS STATEMENT

FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR OVIE OMO-AGEGE, CFR, KSJI

 

AUGUST 20, 2026

ASSASSINATION SQUAD LED BY EMMANUEL ERUBE ATTACKS NDC VENUE, THREATENS TO KILL ME AND UVWIE COORDINATOR

I warned you this was coming.

This morning at 5:30am, over 50 armed men led by Mr. Emmanuel Erube — the Disciplinary Committee Chairman of Jakpa — stormed the venue of our NDC campaign meeting in Uvwie, Delta Central.

They tore down canopies and destroyed every campaign material we had set up. This wasn’t random. It was planned.

In the middle of it, Erube and his men made it clear what they came to do. They vowed to kill me and my Uvwie Campaign Coordinator, Olorogun Dr. Esere Ejifoma Atumu, if I show up in Uvwie for the event.

I hold Governor Sheriff Oborevwori directly responsible and culpable for this.

My basis is unambiguous. The Governor has told several people, in private, that he will have me killed and nothing will happen because he is the Chief Security Officer of Delta State. I take this threat  with utmost gravity given Governor Oborovwori’s documented history of violence and impunity. What happened today, carried out by his known political foot soldiers, is proof of a deliberate state-backed intimidation of opposition in Delta State.

This is an act of state terrorism. It is an attack on democracy and on the people of Delta of Delta State. When you use named political operatives to carry out violence, the fingerprints lead straight back to Government House, Asaba.

I am therefore demanding the following, effective immediately:

1. The Inspector General of Police and the DG of DSS must arrest *Mr. Emmanuel Erube* and his gang now. Investigate who is bankrolling them in Government House and prosecute them.
2. The Delta State Commissioner of Police must provide 24-hour armed protection for me, Dr. Atumu, all our NDC campaign teams and supporters in Delta State.
3. INEC, the US Embassy, EU, AU, and all civil society groups must take note of this escalation and send observers and human rights monitors to Delta State before someone gets killed.

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.

The world is watching. And history will remember who spilled human blood in the name of politics in Delta State.

Signed

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR, KSJI

Deputy President of 9th Senate and

NDC Senatorial Candidate, Delta Central