By Eseoghene Emuke
The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Delta Central Senatorial District in the next month’s National Assembly election, Evelyn Oboro, has raised the alarm that her life was in danger over police refusal to grant her escort for her political campaigns.
Oboro, who is contesting against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC and ten others in the election, alleged that she has been receiving strange calls from unknown political thugs who are threatening to kill her if she does not pull out of the election.
The PDP candidate, who is the current the member representing Uvwie, Okpe and Sapele Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, spoke on Sunday at a press briefing in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
She noted that no reason was given by the police for turning down her application for security escort amidst alleged plans to assassinate her.
Oboro said in spite of her request being turned down, police, however, have armed one her political opponents, Senator Omo-Agege with several police trucks with which he intimidate her supporters and political leaders in the senatorial district.
The PDP candidate said, “I applied to the Nigeria Police that I will need security coverage for my campaigns and I was denied. But surprisingly, for the past two weeks, the APC candidate (Omo-Agege) has been campaigning round the senatorial district with 13 trucks of policemen. Police armoured cars are following him.
“He’s intimidating my supporters and members of Delta Central. He’s boasting that he would arrest me, incapacitate me and he would lock my house down like they did to some members of the National Assembly. He’s also boasting of arresting my supporters.”
Oboro appealed to the Acting Inspector General Police to direct the Delta State Police Commissioner to urgently deplore policemen to her, saying that threats to her life should not be taken with a pinch of salt.
While stressing that she would win the election, she also lamented the destruction of her campaign posters by thugs suspected to be loyal to her opponent particularly in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
“I am the candidate to beat in the election. I am the most popular candidate in the race. No Urhobo woman has ever been elected to the National Assembly except me. I am currently in the House of Representatives (a second-termer). Public opinion shows that I am the most popular candidate.
“Security information reaching me says he has set the stage to rig the election with policemen and that he is going to ensure that if the coast is not clear for him to win, he will even ensure that I am assassinated.
“I am raising this alarm to alert the Acting IGP that between December last year till date, they have transferred all the Divisional Police Officers from Delta Central. Policemen from ranks and files are being transferred from Delta Central in fulfillment of the plot to use federal might to rig the election in favour of my opponent.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, Andrew Aniamaka, said he was unaware of the application by the PDP senatorial candidate for police coverage.
Aniamaka also denied allegation that police in the state were working with her opponent to rig the election in her favour of the ruling APC, adding that police will remain neutral and support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a credible election.
“The police cannot be partisan, and we are not. The police can only assist INEC for credible elections in Delta State. We (police) have pledged our loyalty to the people of Delta by providing them security. There are processes followed towards granting of police escorts.
“I am not aware that Hon. Evelyn Oboro has made request to the command for provision of police escort. We have nothing against her or against her party. The only thing we are asking is that we should follow the process. We are servants of the people and we will do everything humanly possible to serve the people”, he added.
But Senator Omo-Agege while reacting, described the allegations by Oboro as false.
In a statement signed by Godwin Anaughe, Director, Communications and Strategy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege Campaign Organization, the senator said, “First, we are not in the business of killing people. We value human life and as a devout Christian, Senator Omo-Agege will never contemplate nor condone such evil act.
“No such threat was made on behalf of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by a anyone in our campaign or a proxy at any time on Hon. Evelyn Oboro. We have no reason whatsoever to resort to threats of any sort against Oboro or her supporters. We will win fairly at the polls.
“Secondly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege does not have any say in the internal workings of the Nigerian Police and as such could not have instigated any redeployment of officers in the force if at all any such exercise has taken place.
“All we expect the police or any security agency to do is to create an enabling environment for all candidates and parties to participate in the elections, and this include but not limited to rooting out those thugs recruited and sponsored by Evelyn Oboroh.”
Police are meant to protect and maintain d laws of the country not otherwise….. The area commander should b aware of this threatened life by d police..,