Omo-Agege Condemns Sealing of Agbah’s Business Premises, Accuses Ughelli North Chairman of Tyranny

Former Deputy President of the Senate and Delta Central senatorial candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has condemned the sealing of the business premises of NDC chieftain, Amb. Tobore Alex Agbah, by the Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Jaro Egbo.

Omo-Agege, in a statement issued on Monday, described the action as “unlawful, vindictive and cowardly,” alleging that it was politically motivated.

Picture of the Sealed Business Apartment

The former senator said the sealing occurred less than 24 hours after Agbah led what he described as a peaceful and successful 10,000-man NDC march in Ughelli.

According to him, the march was a lawful exercise of citizens’ democratic rights and should not have attracted punitive action from the local government authorities.

He accused the council chairman of abusing state power and engaging in what he termed “political gangsterism and executive rascality.”

Omo-Agege cited Sections 40 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantee the rights to peaceful assembly and ownership of property, arguing that no local government chairman had the authority to override the Constitution.

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“If a chairman feels threatened by his own people marching peacefully in their own town, then he has lost the moral legitimacy to lead them,” he said.

He demanded the immediate and unconditional reopening of Agbah’s business premises, as well as a public apology from the council chairman to Agbah and participants in the march.

Omo-Agege also called on the Delta State Governor and the State House of Assembly to intervene and restrain the Ughelli North council chairman, warning that continued political intolerance could trigger an avoidable crisis in the local government.

He further warned that the sealing of the premises would not deter the movement, declaring that “you can seal a building, but you cannot seal an idea.”

Omo-Agege said he remained firmly behind Agbah and others advocating what he described as freedom, justice and democracy.

“The march has only just begun,” he added.

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